Syllabus: Cities of Vesuvius Flashcards

Question

COV: Local Political Life

Answer 1

Problems interpreting political graffiti→ fragments, ambiguous, written by professionals Group support for candidates “All the mat makers (tegettari) together beg of you to make Lollius aedile.” (CIL IV: 747) Only males voted- some not thought worthy of that right (actors, innkeepers) Electoral notices (epigraphic sources) → most people (including women) politically aware Pompeii- political activity intense: “Competition for office was so fierce it was harder to gain a seat in the City Council of Pompeii than in the Roman Senate.” CICERO

Answer 2

Executive → Board of 4 ( 2 pairs of duoviri and aediles) Every 5 years magistrates conducted census Duoviri→ Administered city (roads, markets, sewer) Maintained order and sponsorship of spectacles and theatre. Responsible for criminal and civil cases Aediles → Daily administration, roads, public buildings, temples, markets, games Curia (council) → Controlled all aspects of public life, finances, taxation, public religion, gave instructions to Board Every March→ election fever, supporters write slogans on walls, women influenced voters

Answer 3

Cock/ Rooster fighting Gladiator battles Baths→ social interactions Amphitheatre Exercise → Palaestra Banqueting → social interactions Brothels (26)

Answer 4

Favoured pastimes→ banqueting at home, poorer classes ate in taverns (100 found in Pompeii) Well rounded, balanced diet (healthy) Basis→ seafood Red meat, fresh produce, variety of fruits (orchids) Tabernae→ wine, fast food outlets Bakeries→ thermopolium, jars

Answer 5

Lazar- Teeth ground flat from gritty bread Cleanliness from baths, access to clean water, pipes/aqueduct Lead pipes→ lead poisoning Calcium from fish Palaestra→ exercise Public toilets→ removal of waste

Answer 6

Linen came from Egypt, wool made locally Imprint of fabric in plaster casts Everyone wore sandals, Only slaves wore hats Fuller's→ washed clothes, used urine as bleach

Answer 7

Frigidarium → cold Tepidarium → warm Caldarium → Hot Social activity→ no privacy issues Oil applied to body and scraped off with strigil Slaves, underfloor heating

Answer 8

Aqueduct transport water Castellum→ water storage Aqueduct → Castellum → (public baths, fountains, toilets, private homes of wealthy) Herc→ more efficient drainage system No privacy in toilets → scrubbing brush shared Good sanitation→ cleanliness and health

Answer 9

Most elaborate structure in forum→ where legal and business activities took place Large hall, 2 storey tribunal built on west side, lower floor→ archives, upper floor→ platform for j

Answer 10

Very religious, prayed, made daily offerings, sacrifices 10 found at Pompeii, 0 at Herculaneum→ dedicated to Apollo, Isis, Jupiter, Venus etc

Answer 11

Large rectangular space (where majority of political, administrative, legal, commercial, religious and social activities took place) Election of magistrates, religious ceremonies, latest news from rome announcements, trade in goods (grain, cloth, wool) markets, hire of lawyers/doctors, Pompeii→ forum central focus. North side; temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Southside; government buildings. West side; Basilica, temple of Apollo. East side; Fish and meat markets

Answer 12

Pompeii; Large Theatre (seated 5000), smaller Odeon. Lower tiers, clad in marble→ reserved for elite. Performances→ plays, farces, pantomimes. Odeon→ roofed, acoustics good for poetry readings, concerts Herc→ small temple located at centre, freestanding structure

Answer 13

Colonnaded rectangular areas→ open grassed space in middle (Greek influence) Exercises, running, discus, javelin competitions. Swimming pool located next to it

Answer 14

Used for games; gladiatorial battles (honour the gods), hunts/battles ft wild animals, Whoever paid for games became more popular→ political purpose

Answer 15

Large, luxurious, multi-roomed on outskirts of Pompeii and Herculaneum Also built on coast, owned by wealthy citizens of Rome. E.g. Villa of the Papyri-Herc

Answer 16

Domus/atrium house, atrium-peristyle house, insulae or apartment house, villas Domus/atrium→ most popular type of house, free standing homes, owned by senatorial or equestrian class Atrium→ Peristyle centerpiece of wealthy homes. Peristyle gave access to dining/living room Insulae/apartment→ multi-storied apartments. Not common “Change over time, with a movement from the late republican houses to multiple small independent units” AWH

Answer 17

Most shops located on Via del Abbondanza Many were rented front rooms of large private houses Some had back rooms for storage, counters on inside, shelves, Taverns had chairs, tables

Answer 18

Hellenistic influences→ From Rome’s conquest and trade with Hellenistic kingdoms of Egypt Trade between Campania and Alexandria (Egyptian port city) → Influence and Alexandrian craftsmen settled in Campania Toponym of Herculaneum → Greek after Greek hero Herakles Hellenisation→ architectural innovations (high vestibules, wide atriums, peristyles, gardens) Columns in House of the Vetti brothers→ Replicated three orders of Greek columns Adaptations of Greek gods worshipped publicly and privately in P and H Mystery cults of Bacchus → introduced from Greece + Cult of Isis → originating in Egypt, worshipped publicly and privately (offered more emotional bond with gods) Pompeian theatre→ traditional Greek tragedies and comedies performed Palaestra (greek gymnasia) → copies of Greek statues of young athletes

Answer 19

Religion greatly influenced by Greeks→ greek gods adopted and adapted to suit Roman needs “The most characteristic feature of Roman religion was its essentially political orientation” E. Cantarella Each citizen→ political duty to carry out correct rituals to gods (sacrifice and prayer) → ensure prosperity, good luck, protection for state and people

Answer 20

Pompeii → approx 10 major temples found in or near Forum. Herc→ 0 Altars found→ suggest sacrifices Capitolium temple→ Temple of Jupiter; Inside were gods Jupiter, Juno, Minerva→ temple dominated Pompeian forum Temple of Venus→ oldest and largest. Venus patron goddess of Pompeii Near forum→ temple of Fortuna Augusta→ held statues of Augustus. → Worship of imperial family was important Worship of God Apollo introduced into P during 6th century BC. Temple of Apollo, most ancient sanctuary

Answer 21

Paterfamilias→ Head of household (oldest male) in charge of private rituals inside home Lares: Protectors of household Lararium; Shrine to lares → Every shop/home had one. Could be wall niche with figurines(poor) 3D miniature temple lined with marble or painted statuettes (rich) Could be wall painted with gods Each day/special monthly celebrations→ offerings of wreath or portion of meal to lares, prayers for protection and prosperity said. Family ancestors honoured and represented as wax masks kept in house.

Answer 22

Imperial cult→ Introduced at time of Augustus as new homage Cult of Isis→ Popular among women→ offered happiness, salvation, consolation from suffering→ 2 daily services at Temple of Isis→ evidence of wall paintings in temple featured Egyptian landscapes, mythology, priests performing their duties Temple of Isis→ paintings, decorations, furniture→ one of the first buildings to have been totally restored after earthquake→ significance of cult Cult of Bacchus/Dionysus→ Dionysus (Greek god wine and fertility) first popular than in South Italy became popular as cult of Bacchus→ offered “An escape from worldly reality into mystic communion with the god and the promise of blessed life after death.”L. ZARMATI

Answer 23

Not hidden→ constructed alongside busiest streets and outside walls 8 Necropolises outside walls of Pompeii→ ‘city of dead’ or cemetery Tombs rarely belonged to individual→ popular to have niches for urns of all the household Up to paterfamilias→ make sure anyone died in family received proper burial rites to prevent them living on in next life as malevolent entities. Poor or people with no families→ belonged to funeral club → ensured cremation Tombs could be plain brick chamber, flat roof or elaborate with sculpted monument Tombs→ reminded passers by of achievements and social status of dead Inscriptions provide info about upper levels of society, freedmen, slaves→ must be remembered, people only inscribed what they considered important and what they wanted others to read

Answer 24

Workmen sunk a shaft → Reached level of stage in ancient theatre Mined theatre if marble states→ many pieces given to European royalty Shafts and tunnels dug, gunpowder used→ little care for destruction Shaft entrances eventually sealed→ difficult to penetrate solidified volcanic material

Answer 25

King appointed him to resume excavations at Herc- 1748 no treasure found so dug at Pompeii Dug more tunnels out from ancient theatre→ broke through painted walls, tunneled through houses, destroyed artefacts,excavated randomly- kept no records Once a site was cleared of artefacts it was backfilled

Answer 26

Discovered Villa of Papyri in Herc→ library of 1800 carbonised papyrus scrolls Drew up plans, maps of buildings, recorded artefacts and paintings where he could→ believed important to excavate systematically

Answer 27

Unearthed Odeon (small theatre) in Pompeii and temple of Isis with frescoes Uncovered building entirely- complete search for artefacts, documenting notable interiors, kept diary

Answer 28

Herculaneum found forum baths, House of the faun, House of tragic poet,whole city blocks, Stabiae baths in Pompeii Director of site→ corrupt, no concern for preservation of finds. Theft common and administrative irregularities in museum and excavation.

Answer 29

1863→ Developed method of plaster casting, preserved positions of dead. Divided P into insulae, gave each house identifying number. Cleared away ash, earth from previous excavations. Kept written record, prepared plans for sites

Answer 30

Excavated House of the Vetti brothers, recreated inner gardens of some houses, restored roofs

Answer 31

Categorised Pompeii wall paintings into 4 main styles. Provided date range for each style→ helped date buildings

Answer 32

Excavated along Via dell Abbondanza (main street) Restored facades of buildings→ revealed houses, shops, taverns, workshops. Reconstructed upper stories and balconies (from remains of buildings, paintings) Photography → recorded stages of excavation (helped conservators working to repair 20th century damage to buildings from theft, vandalism, exposure to elements, war)

Answer 33

Uncovered walls of Pompeii, established sequence of construction. Uncovered cemetary, fully excavated Villa of Mysteries, Used mechanical equipment to dig away debris from previous excavations Put roofs over buildings→ wall paintings in some buildings faded without being recorded. Excavations done too quickly, some unrecorded.

Answer 34

Established international cooperation to study Pompeii. Took around 1800 photos. Used electric machinery to excavate Herculaneum

Answer 35

Discovered Pompeii plaster casts still had bones inside. Brought CT scans, x-rays on site and MRI scans in Australia. Can deduce sex, age, appearance, height, general health, status, occupations, cause of death. → Should we disturb human remains

Answer 36

Recreated lives from skeletons→ gave them a story before she finished research (inaccurate) Discovered occupations, appearances of skeletons→ facial reconstruction, scans, sorted through skeletons National Geographic paid her to go to Pompeii→ put rings on skeletons it didn’t belong to, moved skeletons (accused of tampering)

Answer 37

Director of Herculaneum Conservation project | Talks about need for conservation and preservation, tourism and modern archaeology ruined sites

Answer 38

Found atrium wasn’t for business→ area contained cupboards for domestic items (pots, spinning equipment Suggested women, slaves wander in and out all the time→ spaces would be lively and open Reexamined archaeological records → men typically took paintings, valuables and left the rest

Answer 39

Discovered gardens integral part of everyday life→ most dwellings had space to grow figs, olives, cherries, other fruits and vegetables. Larger gardens→ commercial uses (vineyards, nurseries) Gardens sites of religious activities→ animal sacrifices, meditation

Answer 40

Treasure hunting Pompeii first discovered in 1590’s and excavations began in 1689 Herculaneum first discovered in 1709 No systematic archaeology, Sporadic excavation Looting, destruction, archaeologists hindering others

Answer 41

Adopt systematic approach to archaeology E.g. Giuseppe Fiorelli (grid system of Pompeii, plaster casts) Early photography/ written recording Multidisciplinary approach, E.g. August Mau (artwork- 4 styles) Greater focus on conservation. E.g roofs- however done poorly Mechanical equipment to dig away debris

Answer 42

Multidisciplinary approach Improvements in technology allow for more to be discovered Women involved → Creates gender equality in info about site Moratorium adopted → Need to preserve not excavate Different materials used to preserve. E.g. Resin

Answer 43

X-rays, CT scans 3D computer imaging Thermoluminescence (pottery) NASA image tech (papyrus scrolls)

Answer 44

Restorations, maintenance of endangered structures→ made priority Guzzo keeps friendly eye on Pompeii tourists

Answer 45

To record and create photomosaics of the 900m Via Dell'abbondanza. Digital photography to survey and record standing structures

Answer 46

Interlink electronic database→ archival documents, archaeological remains Italian research institute

Answer 47

Aim→ reconstruct new texts Philodemus’ works on poetics, rhetoric 1752→ workers discovered papyrus scrolls Multispectral imaging developed→ read scrolls

Answer 48

Effort to preserve Pompeii and make it accessible to public 2013- European Union pledged £105 million to restore city.

Answer 49

To promote study, preservation and enhancement of Herculaneum Construction, preservation and restoration

Answer 50

Produce more accurate plans/evaluations of surviving remains Initiated→ architectural plans of forum were inaccurate

Answer 51

Readdress deficiencies in early records of insula (hasty, little documentation) Aim→ draw general conclusions about insula social structure over time and final from in 79 AD Found→ frequent building changes and boundaries of properties changed over time

Answer 52

Led by Andrew Wallace Hadrill Purpose→ Take 3000m² insula and see what can be discovered Found→ city not frozen in time. House of Impluvium remodeled in 1st century→ new atrium floors raised.

Answer 53

Aim→ Study 2 villas (Villa of Poppaea and Villa of Crassius) to see how villas changed over time Found→ wall paintings severely deteriorated over time Restoration work being undertaken at time of eruption

Answer 54

David Packard and Andrew Wallace Hadrill 2000→ Packard Humanities Institute pledged to give $10 million a year for 10 years Purpose→ Excavate, preserve Herc and stop decay, deal with groundwater problem Study waste→ learn about what people ate, work they did

Answer 55

Heavy rains→ walls, shops collapse Interiors never meant to be exposed to weather, are: sun, wind, Light→ fades frescoes, deteriorates carbonised objects quickly Strong sun→ bleaches, fades paintings Oil drops, grit, bacteria, mould spores damage Acid rain→ discolouration, corrosion of surfaces Weeds/parasitic plants→ grow over ruins Fungi/algae→ grow where poor drainage→ clog gutters, sewers Roots→ break foundations, loosen mosaic floors Ivy→ penetrates plaster, destroys stonework Pigeons→ acidic poo corrosive on floor, pick at carbonised wood Feral dogs Pompeii→ groundwater damages, not effective sewerage Herc→ surface water drained off house→ deterioration of tepidarium roof (suburban baths)

Answer 56

“Pompeii is dying a second death” AWH Early excavations Incorrect wood replacement→ rot, termites Modern varnish→ wax can’t breathe Perspex cases (protect graffiti) create humid dirt trap Steel roof built House of Mosaic Atrium (Herc) collapsed and broke floor Frescoes cut from walls→ robbers Tourists walk streets, mosaics→ wears down Humid breath, camera flashes→ deteriorate wall paintings People brush up against walls, touch walls/columns→ body oils on ancient surfaces Rubbish dumped Graffiti left by tourists

Answer 57

“Human remains should be displayed in a manner consistent with professional standards.” INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS Early excavations→ plaster casts considered appropriate for display Skeletons assembled incorrectly→ alleged ‘last moments’ Herc skeletons mixed up and stored together, not systematically Pompeii remains→ displayed in rusty, dusty cases, no labelling Not climate controlled→ camera flashes Bodies moved and placed together for effect→ false impression of real life situation

Answer 58

International Council of Museums→ human remains should be presented with great tact and care for feelings of human dignity Sewerage in Herc→ balanced diet, everyone ate the same, used fertile resources of region SOURCES: Seafood mosaic, Bacchus frescoe, Garum tanks

Answer 59

On site exhibition will be installed → Copies of skeletons and artefacts will be displayed Herc- 80 of 300 skeletons found have been removed Links what diseases were back then to what diseases are now Sarah Bisel (1980’s) Studied bones and made conclusions about their lives → some conclusions highly speculative (especially identity and occupation of individuals) Tourists aren't given warning, may be sensitive to deaths Artefacts→ sold on the market