Pompeii is one of the most significant proofs of Roman civilization and, like an open book, provides outstanding information on the art, customs, trades and everyday life of the past.
The city has re-emerged from the darkness of centuries precisely as it would have been when it was unexpectedly buried in the thick layer of ash and lava which poured down from the devastating eruption of Vesuvius. It was the year 79 A.D.
The History of Pompeii: From its Origins to its Tragic End
Pompeii, famous worldwide for its dramatic destruction, is not just a snapshot frozen in time, but a complex urban organism boasting over seven centuries of history. From its foundation up until that fateful day in 79 AD, the city saw a succession of peoples, cultures, languages, and architectural styles that deeply shaped its unique identity.
The Origins: A Crossroads of Osci, Etruscans, and Greeks The first evidence of a stable settlement on the volcanic plateau at the mouth of the Sarno River dates back to the late 7th and early 6th century BC. Its strategic location offered a safe harbor and favorable conditions for the local Oscan tribes. Early on, the city was protected by a wall made of "pappamonte", a soft, dark local tufa stone.
From its very beginnings, Pompeii was a meeting point for the great powers of the time. The urban layout was strongly influenced by the Etruscans, who dominated the Campanian hinterland. This mixed, multi-ethnic society assimilated foreign cults, building its two main sanctuaries in the 6th century BC: the Temple of Apollo, showing Greek and Cumaean influence, and the Doric Temple in the Triangular Forum, dedicated to Athena and Hercules.
The Samnite Rule and the "Golden Age" (5th - 2nd Century BC) Towards the end of the 5th century BC, the warlike Samnite tribes came down from the mountains, conquering the coastal cities. Their occupation led to a significant population boom and the restructuring of the city with a grid street plan inspired by Greek urban models.
The 2nd century BC is considered Pompeii's true "Golden Age". Thanks to Roman victories in the East and the opening of new Mediterranean markets, Pompeian landowners and merchants accumulated immense wealth by exporting wine and garum (a renowned fish sauce). This economic boom triggered a profound Hellenization of the city, with the local elite investing in grandiose public works. Private homes began to look like luxurious Hellenistic palaces, with the House of the Faun—spanning almost 3,000 square meters—being the most superb and lavish example.
The Roman Conquest: From Allied City to Sullan Colony Until the early 1st century BC, Pompeii had been a loyal ally of Rome. However, during the Social War (91-89 BC), Pompeii rebelled alongside other Italic peoples to demand full Roman citizenship. The city was heavily besieged by the army of the Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
Defeated, in 80 BC Pompeii became a colony for Sulla's veterans, losing its autonomy and taking the name Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum. Samnite institutions and the Oscan language were replaced by Roman laws and Latin. The city was enriched with new, typically Roman buildings, such as the spectacular Amphitheater (the oldest masonry amphitheater known in the Roman world, built around 70 BC for gladiatorial games).
The Imperial Age and Signs of Decline With the rise of the Emperor Augustus (27 BC), Pompeii enjoyed a period of peace and full Romanization. Imperial propaganda was visible through the extensive use of marble and new complexes dedicated to the emperor's cult. Society was also changing: alongside the old landed aristocracy, freedmen (former slaves) emerged, showing off their new commercial wealth through luxurious homes.
However, signs of instability soon appeared:
- In 59 AD, a bloody riot broke out in the Amphitheater between Pompeian fans and those from neighboring Nuceria, leading the Roman Senate to ban gladiatorial games for ten years.
- On February 5th, 62 AD, a disastrous earthquake struck the region, collapsing public buildings, houses, and temples. Reconstruction was incredibly slow, and at the time of the eruption, much of Pompeii was still a huge open-air construction site.
The Tragic End: The Eruption of Vesuvius (79 AD) City life came to an abrupt and terrifying halt in 79 AD. Although the literary tradition based on Pliny the Younger points to August 24th, modern archaeological evidence suggests the catastrophe actually happened in autumn, most likely on October 24th.
The dynamics of the eruption have been accurately reconstructed:
- The Plinian Phase: Around 1:00 PM, a massive column of gas and ash rose from the volcano, starting an incessant rain of white and then grey pumice that lasted for about 18-19 hours, burying the city under almost three meters of debris. Many died during this phase from collapsing roofs.
- The Pyroclastic Flows: In the early hours of the next morning, the eruptive column collapsed, generating lethal pyroclastic surges—glowing clouds of extremely high-temperature gas and ash traveling at high speeds. These swept through Pompeii, instantly killing anyone who had survived or was trying to escape.
The bodies of the victims, buried by the fine ash that later solidified, decomposed over time, leaving voids in the ground. In the 19th century, archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli invented the plaster cast technique: by pouring liquid plaster into these voids, it was possible to capture the perfect forms of the victims in their exact, dramatic moments of agony.
The Rediscovery After its destruction, Pompeii fell into oblivion for centuries. Official excavations only began in 1748 by order of the Bourbon kings. Initially conducted merely to loot precious objects and frescoes for the royal museum, the excavations gradually took on a more systematic character. After the unification of Italy, under the direction of Giuseppe Fiorelli, Pompeian archaeology adopted a modern, rigorous methodology, opening its doors to the public. Today, it gives humanity the unparalleled chance to walk through a Roman city exactly as it was two thousand years ago.