Pompeii is one of the must-see sights of Italy alongside Herculaneum, a town that also
perished when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. The city is important to us because of the
way Vesuvius both destroyed and preserved it, but in the 1st Century AD it had little special
significance. If there were any tourists, they were more likely to be strolling the beach at
Herculaneum – and perhaps hoping for a glimpse of Emperor Caligula at his luxury villa –
than in the markets or industrial wharves of Pompeii.
Locally, however, Pompeii was an important inland port, a place of trade, industry and
business, famed for its fermented fish sauce. Its people were a mix of wealthy elite,
professionals and slaves. Inscriptions attest to bakers and bath-attendants, grape-pickers and
prostitutes. The recent decipherment of writing tablets from Herculaneum suggests that over
half its population were slaves or freed slaves. It reveals the true extent of this infamous
aspect of Roman society.
There is no reason to think Pompeiians were anything other than typical Roman citizens, so
their remains can probably speak for many across Italy at the time. While they suffered the
diseases and discomforts that still affect us today, in general their health beyond childhood
(higher infant mortality is likely) was not greatly different from our own. However, one study
suggested an important exception to this rule: the state of teeth and jaws point to poor dental
hygiene.
The slopes of Vesuvius were known for its fertile soils and wine from Pompeii was an
important export – at least one wine jar made it all the way to England. But people were less
aware of the volcano’s dark side. The city had been badly damaged by severe earthquakes 15
years before the eruption. Yet none of this was connected to volcanism. There was nothing to
fear…
