Pompeii

3 or 4 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

For classical archaeologists, the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. is a perverse event. In the same moment that the volcano ended lives and obliterated cities, it also preserved what would become one of the most fabulous archaeological sites in the world: Pompeii. Pompeii offers a unique laboratory for the exploration of ancient Roman culture. Considering the archaeology of Pompeii along with literary evidence and inscriptions, we will devote careful attention to Pompeii’s streets, shops, temples, baths, houses, theaters, and amphitheater. This seminar will consider the ways in which inhabitants and visitors to the town of differing genders, ethnic origins, and social stations moved through its buildings and public spaces. Pompeii may appear to showcase Roman society in microcosm. Yet our goal will be to discover what set Pompeii apart from nearby cities such as Herculaneum—and the Bay of Naples region apart from Rome.