Pompeii, the complete notes

Seite 1

The remains of Pompeii do not

show a moment in everyday life with complete accuracy:

·

Most of the population managed

to escape taking valuables.

·

The eruption destroyed all the

upper floors.

·

Most of the organic materials

have perished.

·

Evidence that there has been a

lot of looting.

Pompeii was benefited from

being close to the sea, having its own harbor, but also the River Sarno, where

they were able to control the river trade.

Early History

·

The Etruscans, Oscans and the

Greeks influenced Pompeii in its earliest days.

·

There may have been a small

settlement in the 8th Century BCE.

·

The first walls were built in

the 6th Century BCE; first evidence of “real city?”

·

The Samnites from the mountain

inland came down and had complete power by the end of the 5th Century

BCE.

·

Romans fought with the

Samnites in a series of battles and won by 290 BCE. Pompeii was given status of

“ally”, allowing them to govern their own affairs but had to supply forces for

the Roman army and follow Rome’s foreign policy.

·

Remained loyal to Rome during

Punic Wars against the Carthaginians in the late 3rd Century.

·

Social War-many allied cities

rebelled for full Roman citizenship in 91 BCE.

·

General Sulla in 89 BCE

besieged Pompeii and soon they surrendered. Rome granted their people citizenship

in order to maintain stability.

·

Roman state settled 2,000 of

Sulla’s veteran soldiers in Pompeii with their families, occupying all key

political posts in the years that came (tension between new and old settlers).

·

Romans changed the name,

replaced Oscan with Latin, mirrored political structure with Rome, major new

buildings were constructed (amphitheater, Forum Baths, covered theatre etc.)

Earthquake in 63 CE did significant damage to

structures, and became common towards the eruption (these earthquakes were

warning signs of the eruption).

The Eruption, 79 CE

Fore-warnings

·

Earth tremors

·

Wells drying up

·

Springs stopped flowing

·

Rumblings heard in the

mountain

·

Animals behaved strangely

The Plinian Phase

8:00amà small tremors and emissions forewarn the eruption

Late

morning ~ 1:00pmàVesuvius erupts releasing an enormous umbrella-pine shaped eruptive column

that rose 14 km above Vesuvius within 30 minutes. The column was comprised of

ash and pumice, which was mostly carried downwind by the prevailing winds.

3:00pmà as the column rises higher, the contents start to cool

and fall. Pumice and ash fell on the streets of Pompeii, 9km downwind, at a

rate of 15cm per hour. Herculaneum, upwind, only receives light ash.

5:00~6:00pmà Pumice stones and lapilli (hardened lava) start to

accumulate from 25~30cm per hour. Volcanic debris blocks up the River Samo

leaving it impassable. Buildings start to collapse from the weight. Some people

flee, or guard their property. Others die from collapsing buildings or from the

falling pumice stones. The dense cloud of ash now blots out the sunlight, an

addition to the volcanic lightening.

8:00pmà the white frothy pumice changes into grey pumice as

deeper levels of the magma chamber are activated. From discharging

50,000~80,000 tons/sec the amount rises to 150,000 tons/sec to heights of about

33 km.

There was relative calm

between two phases.

The Pyroclastic Phase (The Peléan stage)

First

Surgeà The plume over Vesuvius couldn't be supported further

when the eruptive vent widened triggering the cascade of the column, sending

superheated volcanic debris and gases, or pyroclastic surges and flows. The

first surge killed most inhabitants of Herculaneum who were still left

instantly. Travelling at about 200km per hour consisting of ashes and gases

heated from 100~400ºC. This surge was followed by a flow, volcanic liquid

debris heated to 400ºC, which spread at 65~80km per hour.

Surge

2 àwas hotter and more powerful than the previous, carrying

bits of buildings with it.

Surge 1 & 2 did not affect

Pompeii.

Surge

3àGrey pumice falls and column rose 30km. This set off

the third surge, which destroyed parts of the northern wall but left the

inhabitants unharmed.

Surge

4~6àthese three superheated avalanches covered the whole

town, killing its victims by thermal shock. Surge 6 was the most devastating,

covering the city with a metre of material. The last surge also had the most

energy, travelling south as far as Stabiae.

Volcanic activity, mudslides

and electrical storms proceeded for several days. Herculaneum laid underneath

23 metres of hard, volcanic rock.

Aftermath

Emperor Titus organized a

relief effort, and property left without a will was donated. Survivors were

given special privileges in nearby cities.

Rediscovery

·

Early 18th Century,

the new King Charles VIII hired military engineer & mining expert Rocque

Joaquin de Alcubierre who had little experience in archeology.

·

King wanted any treasure found

be removed for his private collection.

·

Alcubierre didn’t preserve site but carelessly

damaged Pompeii; he was only interested in the treasure.

·

In 1750 a Swiss architect Karl

Weber was appointed Alcubbierre’s deputy.

·

Tried to excavate site

systematically and keeping written records.

·

In 1863 Garibaldi who unified

several regions appointed Giuseppe

Fiorelli, who made many improvements to the site.

·

He excavated from above, not

damaging the walls, cleared waste littered around, built roofs over excavated

buildings to protect them from the weather.

·

He made record keeping easier

by using a system of triple numbering; site divided into 9 regions, subdivide

into blocks (insulae), each individual building (insula) was then numbered.

·

Artifacts couldn’t be removed

for private reasons, ether left in site or taken to Naples Archeological Museum

with replicas in original place.

·

Opened site to general public

with entrance fee to pay caretakers.

·

His most famous idea was the

plaster casts, known now as Fiorelli’s

Process; realizing that in time these bodies had rotted but cavities were

left which was then filled with plaster of Paris, which then left a perfect

replica of the dead person. This process could be used to other organic

materials (animals, wood, plants etc.).

Pompeii was well designed with gates and roads going

to key places in and out the city. The seven gates were located strategically,

connecting to key places around the city, therefore being easily accessible.

The streets were used as sewers, so stepping stoned had been placed. At the end

of the 1st Century, an aqueduct was built, with one of its branches

leading to Pompeii. The Southwestern part is the oldest, with other parts

having some Greek influence.

Pompeii was famous for its fish sauce, garum.

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