Plans and Streetscapes of P and H

Question 1

what is P and H?

Answer 1

a relatively compact town

Question 2

What is size and area excavated at P?

Answer 2

covers 660 000m^2 (66 hectare)

2/3 excavated

Question 3

What is size and area excavated at H?

Answer 3

harder to estimate area as only 4 blocks completely unearthed. Some say equivalent to 1/3 of P or less than 120 000m^2 (12 hectares)

Question 4

What did both towns have?

Answer 4

walls.

H was more modest, whilst P enclosed by 3.2km wall defensive line.

Question 5

Pompeii: layout of road and buildings reflect?

Answer 5

greek influence - regular geometric grid system

Question 6

Pompeii: what is the city accessed by?

Answer 6

seven gates, five focused on roads to other towns in Campanian region based on name of gates.
the oldest - Stabian Gate

Question 7

Pompeii: population in Ad79?

Answer 7

20 000

Question 8

Pompeii: What are the 3 main streets? where did it lead?

Answer 8

Via Dell’Abbondanza
Via Di Nola
Via Stabiana

led to 4 main gates - the town was walled for security, with watch towers

Question 9

Pompeii: What evidence can be seen being done to the walls during 1st century AD?

Answer 9

During 1st C AD, large stretches of wall knocked down to expand and build more houses.

Question 10

Pompeii: Explain the grid system?

Answer 10

main axial roads (decumani), crossed by minor roads (cardini) creating blocks (insulae), about 35m by 90m (vary in size)

Question 11

Pompeii: describe the main road?

Answer 11

St of Abundance/Via dell’ Abbondanza 8.5 m wide, from Forum to Sarno Gate, close to ampitheatre.
Lined with some of the best preserved buildings.

Question 12

Pompeii: How wide were the roads?

Answer 12

varied from 3.5m to 4.5m wide, many not wide enough for 2 way traffic.

Question 13

Pompeii: what was the roads/st made of? What do the roads leading to the Forum have?

Answer 13

paved in blocks of volcanic stone, many leading to Forum have deep ruts = evidence of large volume of wheeled traffic in area.

Question 14

Pompeii: raised footpaths and stepping stones for?

Answer 14

strategically placed for crossing (to avoid wetting feet) and spaced for wheel traffic.

Question 15

Pompeii: Water system?

Answer 15

Network of drains in Forum, but drainage water flowed down streets to outlet outside walls.
Fountains (communal water supply) usually located at street intersections - supplied either by pipes or water cisterns.

Question 16

Herculaneum: Contrast to P?

Answer 16

alot smaller in size and compact (buildings close)

Question 17

Herculaneum: what does the layout show and 2 main streets?

Answer 17

shows Greek influence

2 main streets running E to W, Decumanus Maximus and Decumanus Inferior.

Question 18

Herculaneum: minor streets?

Answer 18

fewer minor streets than P - 3 identified Cardo III, Cardo IV, Cardo V

Question 19

Herculaneum: What is there less evidence of than P?

Answer 19

wheeled traffic = less commercial/trading activity

Question 20

Herculaneum: Why didn’t they have stepping stones?

Answer 20

excellent drainage system, storm drain connected to extensive underground sewer.

Question 21

Herculaneum: Similarities and difference to P? why is it hard to compare?

Answer 21

H have no gates or an ampitheatre.
Both have palaestra

Only 30% excavated, hence don’t know full layout/size of town, harder to compare to P.

Question 22

Herculaneum: what kind of wall did it have?

Answer 22

sea wall

Question 23

Herculaneum: what are the 3 channels for water system?

Answer 23

• sewed town’s main public baths and several houses
• 2nd one similar purpose as above
• 3rd linked to chutes that flowed from latrines and kitchens of homes above.

Question 24

Water Supply: both cities supplied with?

Answer 24

public amenities e.g. water supply, public baths and latrines

Question 25

Water Supply: where does water come from?

Answer 25

water for public and private via Pompeian branch of Augustan aqueduct.
Flowed day and night through water fountains, providing those that cant afford water connected to their homes.

Question 26

Pompeii: What was land used for other than urban?

Answer 26

Included cultivated areas and open spaces where polyculture (growing crops) practiced: fruits, vines and veggies.
Evidence: remains of several commercial vineyard and large orchard found.

Question 27

Building Facades?

Answer 27

• plain and simple with small entrances
• generally no windows as there was large amounts of traffic and many pedestrians, as well as the smells and noises of the streets
• courtyards/gardens in the centre of houses

Question 28

Stepping Stones?

Answer 28

• provided for pedestrian use while still giving access to wheeled traffic.
• people could cross the road without stepping into sewerage that overflowed in the gutter when it rained.
• present on busier, wider streets (traffic)

Question 29

Wheel Ruts?

Answer 29

• deep grooves in the roads can be seen indicating the volume of traffic
• they functioned like train tracks, directing wheeled carts which had not form of steering.

Question 30

PAved Roads:

Answer 30

• roman paving technique
• polygonal blocks of basalt.
• streets ranged from 2.5 m to 7m wide.
• fit together with gaps as small as 2 or 3 millimetres.

Question 31

Kurbing:

Answer 31

• constructed using basalt and/or tufa.
• acted as sidewalk for pedestrians who wished to avoid the traffic and rubbish or sewerage which appeared on the roads at times.