Sioux Falls Scientists endorse Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City
for describing the snapshot of daily life that was captured
(buried) by the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in A.D 79.

Pompeii:
Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City
Lectures by Professor Robert Garland

Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City (2010)
24 lectures, 12 hours
Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City at TheGreatCourses.com

On August 24, in the year A.D. 79, Pliny the Younger looked up and saw a spectacle the world would never forget. As he later wrote down, "A cloud was ascending, the appearance of which I cannot give you a more exact description of than by likening it to that of a great pine tree, for it shot up to a great height in the form of a very tall trunk, which spread itself out at the top into a sort of branches. It appeared sometimes bright and sometimes dark and spotted, according as it was either more or less impregnated with earth and cinders."

Thus opened the sole eyewitness account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius - one of the most iconic natural disasters in the history of the ancient world.

Most people are familiar with this story. Over three harrowing days, the inhabitants of Pompeii experienced the full force of Mother Nature's fury in the form of blasts of superheated gases, rains of pumice stone and ash, and rivers of scorching mud.

Yet while the account of the eruption is compelling, Pompeii holds a much more intriguing story for historians: a tale of everyday 1st-century life, flash-frozen in time under mountains of sediment. The tragedy left a rich record of daily life as it was experienced by all strata of Roman society; housewives, slaves, merchants, and politicians were stopped in their tracks on that fateful day. Through careful excavations of Pompeii, scholars have revealed the hidden complexities of ancient life, unveiling the everyday activities of commerce, agriculture, politics, and private life otherwise lost to modern eyes.

In Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City, gain a tantalizing glimpse into this world, as eminent classicist and Professor Steven L. Tuck resurrects the long-lost lives of aristocrats, merchants, slaves, and other Roman people in this imperial city. The result is an unprecedented view of life as it was lived in this ancient culture - and your chance to discover intriguing details that lay buried for centuries. In 24 enthralling lectures, Professor Tuck unearths these everyday truths to create a full portrait of daily life in the ancient world.

Professor Steven L. Tuck is Associate Professor of Classics and the History of Art at Miami University--where he was named a University Distinguished Scholar and, twice, an Outstanding Professor. An expert in classical art and archaeology, Dr. Tuck has served as a national lecturer for the Archaeological Institute of America and is a regular lecturer for the Continuing Education program at the University of Evansville.

24 Lectures - 30 minutes each

2-28-21 Pompeii: Archaeologists unveil ceremonial chariot discovery
Archaeologists in Italy have unveiled a ceremonial chariot they discovered near the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. The four-wheeled carriage was found near a stable where three horses were uncovered back in 2018. Experts believe it was likely used in festivities and parades, with the find described as "exceptional" and "in an excellent state of preservation". Pompeii, engulfed by a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius in AD79, is an archaeological treasure trove. The volcanic eruption buried the city in a thick layer of ash, preserving many of its residents and buildings. The chariot was found in a double-level portico connected to stables at an ancient villa at Civita Giuliana, north of the walls of the ancient city. A statement by the park described the ceremonial chariot as having "iron components, beautiful bronze and tin decorations" as well as ropes and floral decoration discovered "almost intact". Archaeologists say efforts to safely free the chariot took weeks after it first emerged during an excavation effort on 7 January. They said the fragility of the materials involved made their effort particularly complex, with special techniques, including plaster moulding, used to uncover it without damage. The operation was carried out in collaboration with a local prosecutor's office amid criminal efforts to loot items of cultural heritage from the site using means such as illegal tunnels. Officials described the carriage as without parallel among other finds in Italy. "This is an extraordinary discovery that advances our understanding of the ancient world," Massimo Osanna, the director of the site, said in a press release. He said some of the ornate decorations on the chariot allude to it being used for community festivities, possibly including wedding ceremonies.

Pompeii:
Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City
Lectures by Professor Robert Garland

Sioux Falls Scientists endorse Pompeii: Daily Life in an Ancient Roman City
for describing the snapshot of daily life that was captured
(buried) by the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius in A.D 79.