Providing richly detailed notes on Pompeii and Herculaneum, a common module in the course of Ancient History. These notes are ALL you need, it contains sources, events, information, and evidence - in order by the syllabus too! If you have these notes, know that you have the key to smash your HSC An...
HSC: Pompeii & Herculaneum
Introduction
Pompeii preserved under ash:
- In the ancient world, it was simply a market and trading town, specialising in fish-based
condiments.
- Pompeii was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
- Well preserved due to ash
- Pompeii is the ‘city of death’.
Not always Roman:
- In the mid-6th century BCE, the Greeks and Etruscans had settled.
- The 4th and 5th century was dominated by the south-central Italians.
- In the 3rd century BCE, Pompeii was dominated by the Romans who put a power shift and
led to prosperity.
Pompeii becomes Roman:
- Sulla reinforced the city as a Roman colony + settled army veterans in Pompeii.
● The geographical setting and natural features of Campania
- P ompeii and Herculaneum werelocated in the coastalplain known as Campania.
- Well-known for itstemperate climateandbeautifullandscape.
- The Romans referred to it asCampania felix (productiveCampania).
limate
C
Divided into 2 main seasons:
1. Hot and drysummers from May - September.
2. Mild wetwinters from October - April.
Resources
- Volcanic activitymade Campaniaone of the mostfertileregionsof Italy (makingcrops
easier to grow).
- Extensivewoodlands covered large areas, andfarmersgrew cropssuch as wheat, and a
range of fruits and vegetables - in the rich deepsoil of the plain→ onto theslopes of
Vesuvius.
FrescofromPompenian House of the Centenarydepictsthe
●
wine god next to Vesuvius.
- Thesnakeis not a sign of danger butrepresents fertility.
- The production ofgrapevines and winewas animportant
feature of the local economy.
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, HSC: Pompeii & Herculaneum
- I nrockier areas with less depth of soil,olives of extremely high qualityare providednot
only for the olive oil industrybut also as thebasic ingredient of the perfume industry.
- Claywas used tomake a great variety of pottery containers, for wine, olive oil and other
products.
- The sand was mixed in with limetomake cement.
- Sheep and goatswere raised formeat, milk, skinsand wool.
- The marine resourcessupported athriving fish andshellfish industryand theproduction of
a popular fish sauceknown asgarum.
- Salt, used forpreserving food, was produced by theevaporation of shallow pools of
seawater.
Source A: Extract from‘The Geography” of Strabo.
➔ “has houses all around and very beautiful fields.”
➔ “
rocks that look as if they have been devoured by fire…one could conclude that in an earlier time, the area was
on fire…perhaps this is the cause of the fertility of the surrounding region.
➔ “hot ashes carried up into the air from Mt Etna makes for a land of fine vines.
➔ “contains a substance that fattens the soil, which is then burnt out and brings forth the fruit.”
Source B:Pliny the Elder, a well-known naturalist,described in his‘Natural History’ book
➔ “A fertile region so blessed with pleasant scenery… the work of nature in a happy mood?”
➔ “...wonderful life-sustaining and healthy atmosphere that lasts all the year through.”
➔ “
Campania has a wealth of different kinds of forest, breezes from many mountains, an abundance of corn,
vines and olives.”
➔ “Splendid fleeces produced by its sheep…”
➔ “
Its many seas and harbours and the bosom of its lands are open to commerce, while the land eagerly runs out
into the sea as if to assist mankind.”
● The eruption of Vesuvius and its impact on Pompeii and Herculaneum
- A t1 p.m.on the24th of August AD 79.
- Vesuvius split apartwith a thundering roar.
Warning signs before the eruption
- Mt Vesuvius must have beeninactive for a long timebefore the eruption.
- Volcanologists believethere is a strong link betweenthe magnitude (size) of an
eruption+the coming of the explosion.
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, HSC: Pompeii & Herculaneum
Source C: Greek geographerStrabo, in his ‘Geography’ wrote that Vesuvius was once a volcano:
“There used to be a volcano here, which died out once it had consumed all the inflammable material that fed it.”
- Evidence that the early Greek settlers in the areas knew of its active nature.
- The actual eruption has beenpieced together by volcanologist Haraldur Sigurdsson.
- Hereconstructed the phases of the eruptionby examiningthe grain size of the
volcanic material in the stratathat covered Pompeiiand Herculaneum and then
compared his research on the Mt St. Helens eruption in 1980.
● Early discoveries and the changing nature of excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries
- P
eople living inResina, avillage on the site ofHerculaneum, sometimesuncovered artefacts
and caughtglimpses of buried ruins.
Changing nature of excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries
● Pompeii
ime working at
T Archaeologist Archaeological method used or developed Contribution
Pompeii/
Herculaneum
1750 Karl Webber - ncovered the site systematically,
U ediscovered the Villa of Julia
H
rather than conducting random Felixand Commonwealth of
uncoordinated digs to find treasure. Pompeii, in the Street of Tombs,
- He began drawing up plans and maps positively identifying the site.
and recorded the location of artefacts
and paintings wherever he could.
9th century
1 iuseppe
G - ioneered thestudy of stratigraphy of
P I ntroduced a system for naming
Directed Pompeii Fiorelli the site. and numbering houses and
excavation - He was thefirst to work systematically, buildings.He divided the town
1863-1875 moving from house to house, from into nine regions, each
street to street, clearing everything as he containing up to 22 blocks or
went. insulae
924-1961 Chief
1 medeo
A - ioneeredexcavation below the
P dvancedknowledge of
A
archaeologist of Maiuri destruction level. pre-eruptionPompeii.
Pompeii - He was very interested in the earlier
history of Pompeiiandinitiated
excavations aimed at obtaining a better
understanding of the pre-Romanand
earlyRoman development of the town.
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, HSC: Pompeii & Herculaneum
● Herculaneum
Year Archaeologist Nature of discovery
1709-1714 Count D’Elbeuf uge shafts were dug andthe site was literally minedfor
H
marble.Thetunnels led to what had been Herculaneum's
theatre.
1927-1938 Amedeo Maiuri - he wholearea of Insulae 3 and most of Insulae 4
T
was excavated.
- Magnificent houses, such as the House of Stags, the
House of Neptune, the Samnite House, the House of
the Gem, and the House of the Relief of Telephus
were all unearthed.
● Representations of Pompeii and Herculaneum over time
- T hedrama and tragedy of the eventsat Pompeii andHerculaneum inAD79haveinspired
many artists and writersover time.
- Pliny the Younger’s written accountis thefirst knownrepresentationthat provides
themost detailed primary evidence.
- 18th century onwards, Europeanartists produced paintingsthat portray elements of Pliny’s
account.
- For example,K.Briullov’s 1830 painting‘The LastDays of Pompeii’depicts the
terrified inhabitants beneath a sky filled with fire and smoke, and otherstrying to
rescue those crushed by falling buildings.
- I n ancient times, these citiesthrived and were depictedthrough art and architecturethat
showcased their
- beautiful villas, marketsandvibrant culture.
- However, theeruptionof Mt Vesuvius in 79 ADburiedthem under volcanic ash,
- leading to their forgotten existencefor centuries.
- I n the18th century, the cities wererediscoveredthrough archaeological excavations.
- Scholars documented the findings, recognising thewell-preservedbuildings, artefacts, and
even human remains.
- Someartists have depicted Pompeii and Herculaneumas ruins,
- whileothers have concentrated on representing thearchaeological excavations being
conducted there.
- Turner depictedthese cities assymbols of the sublimeand the power of nature.
- I n the20th century,advancements in archaeology andpreservation techniquesfurther
revealed insights into daily lifein Pompeii and Herculaneum.
- Thecities became subjects of movies and documentaries,reaching a broader audience.
- Today, thesecities remain vital archaeological sites,attracting millions of tourists.
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