In a modern global history class taught today, students learn all about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. They know the basic facts, such as how the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were covered with ash, how many, many people died because of the volcano eruption, and how the description we have of the eruption is from a letter written by Pliny the Younger (61AD-113AD). However, many students are not taught about what Roman life was like in Pompeii before the eruption of the volcano. The evidence that has since been recovered by excavations of the cities has shown a vast amount of artifacts that have given historians so much knowledge about city life during the Pax Romana that was never known before. The socio-economic, religious, and political insight learned from the ruins of Pompeii are extremely useful in uncovering what life was really like before Mount Vesuvius erupted.
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While Pompeii was settled in the 6th century BC, Herculaneum was a much smaller settlement that was only occupied by the 4th century BC (Cooley 7). Since the city was so close to Greek settlements around the bay, it was largely influenced by Hellenistic culture, and even spoke Oscan as the primary language (Jashemski). Pompeii was an independent settlement until the 3rd century BC, when they formed an alliance with Rome (Cooley 7). After the alliance was formed, the culture of Pompeii gradually morphs into a more Hellenistic
While Pompeii was settled in the 6th century BC, Herculaneum was a much smaller settlement that was only occupied by the 4th century BC (Cooley 7). Since the city was so close to Greek settlements around the bay, it was largely influenced by Hellenistic culture, and even spoke Oscan as the primary language (Jashemski). Pompeii was an independent settlement until the 3rd century BC, when they formed an alliance with Rome (Cooley 7). After the alliance was formed, the culture of Pompeii gradually morphs into a more Hellenistic