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YEAR 12 ANCIENT History Anne Gripton & Peter Roberts YEAR 12 ANCIENT History Anne Gripton & Peter Roberts Free-to-download sample pages with answers Book 1 Ancient History.indb 1 18/1/19 5:18 pm 1 - Core StudY Chapter Cities of Vesuvius Pompeii Herculaneumand Agriculture was the cash crop and intensive farming was Introduction evidenced everywhere, even on small garden plots inside the city walls. ›› The volcanic eruption of 79 CE was a disaster for the ÎÎ inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum but the volcano The processing of agricultural products is evidenced in did more than take thousands of lives: it sealed the cities many small workshops in Pompeii. Pompeii was an under a layer of ash and lava, thereby preserving the remains important industrial and trading centre and port according of two vibrant, prosperous Roman towns. By methodical to Strabo, as well as a resort for wealthy Romans. This study of the ruins and artefacts of these sites, historians attracted Roman investment as they enjoyed the climate and archaeologists have been able to gain a unique and magnificent sea views. glimpse into life in a Roman town, and by extension the ÎÎPompeii city is an oval shape and rests on a prehistoric Empire, as it was lived nearly 2000 years ago. lava flow. The city walls followed the path of the lava flow. Pompeii covers 66 hectares and about three quarters of the site is currently excavated. SURVEY ÎÎPompeii was completely covered and hermetically sealed THE GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING AND by a seven-metre layer of volcanic ash, lapilli (rock NATURAL FEATURES OF CAMPANIA fragments) and pumice (heavy rock) from Vesuvius in 79 CE. About three to four metres of the blanket was ÎÎPompeii is situated 20 kilometres southeast of Naples on pumice. Other cities to the southeast were also buried, the Bay of Naples, on the western coast of the Italian including Stabiae, Herculaneum and Oplontis. peninsula in the region of South Campania. Today it lies ÎÎHerculaneum was covered by heavy rock fill, not just ash two kilometres inland from the coast due to lava from the and pumice as in Pompeii, due to its proximity to volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 CE spreading into Vesuvius. It was buried again in 1631 by hard solidified the sea. mud (about 18 metres). It has been much more difficult ÎÎThe Apennine Mountains are to the east of Pompeii, to excavate and about four city blocks are so far Mt Vesuvius is to the north and the Sarno River (ancient completed. Samus River) is in the south. Pompeii lies at the mouth ÎÎThe city of Resina-Ercolano was built on the site above of the Sarno River, a broad, navigable river important in Herculaneum, later hampering its excavation. Fishing Pompeii’s commercial history. was the main industry of Herculaneum. ÎÎIn ancient times Herculaneum was located directly on ÎÎThe area of Pompeii was known as Civitas, or The City, the Bay of Naples on a steeply sloping spur ending in a after the eruption. cliff, bordered on both sides by deep ravines. ÎÎMartial praises the area under Vesuvius as favoured by garum: a salty fermented fish sauce, popular in Pompeii ‘Bacchus, Venus, Hercules and the Satyrs’. The rich and Herculaneum and some (though not all) parts of agricultural area under Vesuvius is a fertile plain of the Empire phosphorus and potash. The crop yield of the plains was (and is) six times that of the rest of Italy. Florus states that ‘Campania’s coastal area is the finest, not only in Italy but in the entire world. Nowhere is the climate gentler. Spring Î Key QUESTION comes with its flowers twice a year there. Nowhere is the 1 Outline the geographical setting and natural soil richer’. features of Campania. ÎÎ The main agricultural products of Pompeii were olive oil Answer p. 30 and wine but its industries included sheep products, millstones, fish sauce (garum), perfume, and a cloth and dye industry of unknown commercial importance. © Pascal Press ISBN 978 1 74125 662 8 4 YEAR 12 ANCIENT HISTORY Book 1 Ancient History.indb 4 18/1/19 5:18 pm 1 Core StudY ÎÎ-The most famous casualty was Pliny the Elder, who was Chapter SURVEY killed in the Bay of Naples while trying to save people from THE ERUPTION OF 79 CE AND ITS IMPACT the burning shores of Stabiae, although this is speculative. ON POMPEIICities AND HERCULANEUM of VesuviusIt is doubtful that Pliny the Younger would have recounted the death of his mentor and uncle in a negative light. Pliny ÎÎArchaeological and written evidence suggests there was himself admits his limitations, stating ‘it is one thing to a volcanicPompeii eruption of Vesuvius and in 79 CE. While Pliny the write a letter, another to write history’. Also, it must be Younger suggests, in his letter,Herculaneum that it was August there is remembered that he was recalling events as they applied evidence to suggest otherwise, including a denarius (coin) to Misenum and Stabiae so it is not certain how relevant found in the House of the Golden Bracelet detailing a both letters are to Pompeii and Herculaneum. victory of the Emperor Titus. New evidence almost ÎAgricultureÎDio tells us was that the some cash of crop the andash reachedintensive Rome, farming messaging was Introductioncertainly proves the eruption was in November. It was evidencedthe extent everywhere, of the disaster even to on the small people garden there. plots It is insideestimated the first volcanic eruption to be described in detail. thethat city at walls. times the volcanic ash column was 32 kilometres tall. ›› The volcanic eruption of 79 CE was a disaster for the ÎÎWe know that Vesuvius was an active volcano, with about ÎÎ inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum but the volcano ÎTheÎIn processing 1910 the director of agricultural of excavations, products Spinazzola, is evidenced was in able 200 explosions over the past 2000 years. Pompeii’s building did more than take thousands of lives: it sealed the cities manyto reconstruct small workshops the façade in Pompeii. of houses Pompeii and demonstrate was an how undermaterial a layer and of ash paving and lava,was therebymade from preserving lava and the grey remains tuff. importantthe buildings industrial were and buried, trading as wellcentre as andrecreating port according the ÎofÎ Vesuviustwo vibrant, had prosperous caused a severe Roman earthquake towns. By methodical in 63 CE but it to Strabo,original as structures well as a resortaccurately. for wealthy Romans. This studyappears of the that ruins many and inhabitantsartefacts of theseremained sites, in historians the area. ÎattractedÎWe also Roman have evidence investment that as people they enjoyed returned the to climate Pompeii andThere archaeologists is speculation have by been some able historians to gain a asunique to whether andafter magnificent the explosion sea views. to salvage what they could. Afterwards glimpsePompeii into was life inin aeconomic Roman town, decline. and Note:by extension The date the of ÎÎPompeiiscavengers city is came an oval to theshape site, and digging rests onand a looting,prehistoric Empire, as it was lived nearly 2000 years ago. 63 CE has been accepted only recently. Some historians lavadestroying flow. The andcity pillaging,walls followed until the it was path almost of the forgotten lava flow. still refer to it as occurring in 62 CE. Pompeiiand only covers the 66name, hectares Civitas, and remained. about three quarters of ÎÎThere was a smaller earthquake in 64 CE as mentioned ÎtheÎPliny’s site is descriptioncurrently excavated. of the eruption has been supported by SURVEYby Suetonius in his biography of Nero. ÎÎPompeiithe work was of completely Haraldur Sigardsson, covered and an hermetically Icelandic volcanologist. sealed THEÎÎThere GEOGRAPHICAL was an immense eruption SETTING with lava, AND ash, pumice by a seven-metre layer of volcanic ash, lapilli (rock NATURALand lapilli FEATURES covering the Campanian OF CAMPANIA area. The worst fragments)Î Key QUESTIONand pumice (heavy rock) from Vesuvius in affected areas were the towns under Vesuvius. Stabiae, 79 CE. About three to four metres of the blanket was ÎÎPompeiiHerculaneum is situated and 20 other kilometres places southeastto the southeast of Naples were on pumice.2 Outline Other the cities eruption to the ofsoutheast 79 CE and were its also impact buried, on the theburied Bay of inNaples, lava. on the western coast of the Italian includingcities Stabiae, of Vesuvius. Herculaneum and Oplontis. ÎpeninsulaÎIt is unknown in the region how many of South people Campania. died in Pompeii Today it and lies ÎÎHerculaneum was covered by heavy rock fill, notAnswer just ash p. 30 twoHerculaneum. kilometres inland Over from 1000 the casts coast have due been to lavarecovered from the in and pumice as in Pompeii, due to its proximity to volcanicand around eruption Pompeii, of Mt Vesuviuswith the scatteredin 79 CE bonesspreading of another into Vesuvius. It was buried again in 1631 by hard solidified the100 sea. or so. The remains of about 332 bodies have been mud SURVEY(about 18 metres). It has been much more difficult ÎÎThefound Apennine at Herculaneum. Mountains areArchaeologists to the east of are Pompeii, unsure what toEARLY excavate DISCOVERIESand about four city ANDblocks THEare so CHANGINGfar Mt Vesuviuspercentage is these to the numbers north and are the of theSarno total River populations (ancient or completed.NATURE OF EXCAVATIONS IN THE 19TH Samus River) is in the south. Pompeii lies at the mouth total dead of the towns. Research done on these remains ÎÎTheAND city 20TH of Resina-Ercolano CENTURIES was built on the site above of theindicated Sarno deathRiver, bya broad, thermal navigable shock, fallingriver important debris, hot in ash Herculaneum, later hampering its excavation. Fishing Pompeii’sand poisonous commercial gas. history. ÎwasÎAfter the main the eruption industry of of 79 CE Herculaneum.
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