POMPEI AND HERCULANEUM GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING, NATURAL FEATURES AND RESOURCES OF POMPEII AND HERCULANEUM LOCATION: - region = Campania - On the coast line of the Bay of Naples in the Tyrrhenian Sea - P + H = 200km south of Rome (close proximity caused their interest) - Close access to resources - East of the large mountains of the Appenine range - 2 peninsulas protect the coast line for its use as a naval base o South = Sorrento peninsula o North = peninsula of Misenum - P + H are located on a crescent shaped fertile plane - P = 10km south-east of Vesuvius - H = on the coast, 7km west of Vesuvius (Don t learn the primary written sources but just be able to recognise them) Strabo AD 1 mount Vesuvius is the reason for the fruitfulness of the surrounding area + one assumes the area was previously on fire - Recognised its importance and danger as a volcano GEOGRAPHY/ TOPOGRAPHY - Mount Vesuvius = 1300m high dominates the surrounding landscape - Region highly vulnerable to earthquake activity sitting on a major fault line - Fertile and productive soil due to mineral deposits from the volcano CLIMATE - Region has a typical mediteraen climate hot summers and cool to mild winters - Good rain fall in the cooler months - In 1 st century AD region considered very pleasant place to live - Florus (primary written source who personally visited the area) 1. Highly praises the region region of Campania is most beautiful 2. Describes the climate as temperate 3. spring flowers blossom twice long, fertile spring for agriculture
RESOURCES OF P + H 4. nothing is more fertile than the land describes a competition between the gods of agriculture for growing the best produce 5. famous harbours safe place to anchor along the coast 6. mountains which befriend the vine the most beautiful of them, Vesuvius great for grape growing 7. Knowledge of Vesuvius as an active volcano Olives/ Oil Abundance of natural resources (agricultural and natural) provided the basis of the economy. Used in cooking, Stone olive presses for extracting oil lighting, baths, from green olives = found in houses in P gymnasium (rubbed on skin) + H + villas in the fields around Mt Grew in shallow, less Vesuvius fertile parts of the soul Formed a substantial Cato and Pliny = talks about the process industry of crushing olives to produce the oil
Vesuvius was viewed as one large vineyard. Campanian region = famous for its wine exported to Rome, southern France, Spain and North Africa Wine presses and fermentation rooms found in homes e.g. the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii (functioning farm) Pottery wine containers and dolia (= large containers buried in the earth in villas in the country side to keep the wine at a stable temperature) Pliny the Elder wrote extensively about the wine industry = it has been observed that Pompeian wines are rather dangerous as they may cause a headache which lasts till noon on the following day Wine House of the centenary = wall painting shows Vesuvius with grapes growing on the vine and Bacchus the god of wine covered in grapes. Wheat with a snake = symbol of wealth this home made its income with wine Archaeologist Jashemski = plaster casts of root systems to determine types of plants and crops grown in Pompeii e.g. extensive vineyard next to the amphitheatre Graphite indicating different qualities of wine available in the area
P = famous for strongly flavoured fish sauce garum P = house containing several possible fish tanks discovered by archaeologists from the Anglo-American Project. (including an intact fish skeleton) fish were left to rot in these tanks to become sauce Stone basins for fish with small hole for the sauce Containers labelled garum Fishing H= large volume of fishing nets, hooks, boat houses Pliny the Elder = famed beyond any other for their shellfish and fine fish Fruit and Vegetables Production was an important part of local economy Fertile, rich, deep, volcanic soils of the plane and up the slopes of Vesuvius suited to growing cabbage, onions, barley, wheat P = election posters mention local market gardeners and greengrocers running for public office. Archaeological evidence for market gardens found north of the amphitheatre. Many of the Pompeian wall paintings and mosaics feature the abundant agricultural production of the area.
Wool and textiles Perfume P = regional centre for cloth making and dyeing Sheep were bred Basic ingredient = olive oil which the Campanian region was famous for Building provided by the priestess Eumachia = headquarters of the collegium of fullones (collegium = council of the same trade, fullones = washers and dyers of fabrics) Seneca mentions a flock of 600 sheep was killed by the earthquake of AD 62 Perfume production required an abundance of flowers in the area = supported by Florus s comment spring comes with its flowers twice a year Stone Wood Pumice stone was Used for building and paving roads exported and lava was used in stone millstones for grinding grain and pressing olives Extensive woodland covered large areas. The material that spewed from the volcano weathered into deep fertile soils that supported poplars, willows, alder, oak and beech Salt Used for preserving food Produced by evaporation of shallow pools of sea water (called salt pans) Port Facilities Bay provided safe anchorages at Misenum = doubleshaped basin for natural harbour main naval station for the Roman fleet. Seneca in Naturales Quaestiones = where the Stabian river and Sorrentine coast meets that of Herculaneum is a soft and sinuous bay = ideal harbour and port for inland settlements Strabo on the port of Pompeii = accommodates a traffic in both imports and exports Greek port settlements PLANS AND STREETSCAPES OF POMPEII AND HERCULANEUM
- The Sarno plain and coastline were dotted with bustling towns and cities and smaller quiet villages. Farms were engaged in intensive agriculture. Luxurious farmsteads (rusticate) and villas dotted the countryside. - Pompeii is approximately 66 ha large - Blocks of buildings called insulae - Roman influence = grid system of roads - No Roman imposed road network in reg III and IV = older part of Pompeii - The main axial roads (decumani) running E W crossed by the minor road (cardini) running N S = creating the insulae - Streets 1. The main streets inside Pompeii were a continuation of the main roads that connected Pompeii with Rome as well as the surrounding towns such as Herculaneum, Nola and Stabiae. 2. Major roads = Via dell Abbondanza (main commercial street), The port of Versuvio and Via Stabia 3. The Cardo Maximus (the main north-south street) ran south from Herculaneum through the town and out to Stabiae in the south.