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Evidence and historical background

The towns of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum were destroyed in 79 AD by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius but the volcanic material also froze the towns in time and preserved a wide variety of evidence. These archaeological sites allow us to build a rich picture of everyday life for ordinary people like Amarantus and his neighbours. In this area of the website you will find links to archaeological evidence about Amarantus' neighbourhood discovered during the recent excavation of insula 9 in Pompeii, as well as other sources about Roman daily life from Pompeii and the wider Roman world. These are arranged according to the six topics of the Amarantus scheme and along with each set of sources you will find a brief summary of their historical background to allow you to put them in context. 

Get to know Roman society by exploring the evidence we have for different kinds of people who lived in Insula 9 and the rest of Pompeii.

1.1.1 The Bar
1.1.2 Amphorae
1.1.3 House 12
1.1.4 Amarantus was here!
1.2.1 The Forum
1.3.1 House of the Fruit Orchard
1.3.2 House 9
1.3.3 House 10

What was it like to live in Pompeii? This topic looks at entertainment, leisure and the practicalities of city life – as well as its dangers.

2.1.1 Relief from a Tomb
2.1.2 Fresco of the Amphitheatre
2.1.3 Tacitus
2.1.4 Graffiti
2.2.1 Fresco from the Bar of Salvius
2.2.2 Scene 1
2.2.3 Scene 2
2.2.4 Scene 3
2.2.5 Scene 4
2.3.1 Water Supply
2.3.2 'User Friendly' Streets
2.3.3 Traffic

Learn about Roman religion and the role it played in people’s lives and what they believed happened after death.

3.1.1 Forum of Pompeii
3.1.2 Public Worship
3.1.3 Lares and Lararia
3.2.1 The Roman pantheon
3.2.2 Venus
3.2.3 Isis
3.2.4 Imperial Cult
3.3.1 Tombs
3.3.2 Beliefs about the Underworld

Local politics was a big deal in Pompeii! Investigate how elections worked and how to be a successful Pompeian politician.

4.1.1 Programmata
4.1.2 Titus Suedius Clemens
4.2.1 Politics and trade
4.2.2 Support for Vatia
4.2.3 Negative campaigning
4.3.1 Tomb of Alleius Nigidus Maius
4.3.2 Petronius

Pompeii was a busy town at a trading crossroads with a variety of local industries; examine the evidence to discover what we know about the Pompeian economy.

5.1.1 The Fullers
5.1.2 The Garum Makers
5.1.3 The Wine Makers
5.1.4 The Bakers
5.2.1 Pompeii's Port
5.2.2 Amarantus's amphorae
5.3.1 Pompeian Prices
5.3.2 Patronage
5.3.3 L. Caecilius Iucundus

Use evidence from the sewers, literature and Roman medicine to uncover what the Romans ate and why.

6.1.1 Roman Doctors
6.1.2 The Four Humours
6.2.1 Roman dinner parties
6.2.2 Food and status
6.3.1 Digging in the Sewers
6.3.2 Botanical Finds
6.3.3 Fish and Shellfish

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