Geography
This 'mountain' shaped Pompeii and Herculaneum's landscape, but ultimately caused their destruction
What is Mount Vesuvius?
This fertile ground, created by earlier eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius, allowed crops to thrive in Campania
What is volcanic soil?
Amphorae stamped with makers' marks from Herculaneum and Pompeii found as far away as France and Spain, provide evidence for this economic activity
What is trade?
This central public space functioned as the social and economic heart of Pompeii, housing markets, administrative buildings, and temples
What is the Forum?
The presence of olive pressers and oil grinders in houses like the House of the Ship Europa suggests large-scale production of this resource
What is olive oil?
In Pompeii's amphitheatre, these citizens sat in the front rows while slaves were relegated to the back
Who are the elite?
This social class was the lowest in terms of social hierarchy, but was definitely the largest class in terms of numbers
What are slaves?
Freeborn males and freedmen in both Pompeii and Herculaneum were entitled to do this in both local and Roman elections
What is voting?
Local magistrates in Pompeii and Herculaneum were elected for this length of time
What is one year?
Name ONE popular leisure activity in Pompeii and Herculaneum
What is bathing, exercising, gambling, gaming, attending the theatre or amphitheatre or visiting a brothel?
This system of underground channels removed waste water and sewage from Herculaneum and Pompeii (although Herculaneum's was better)
What is a drainage or sewerage system?
This year was when the volcano erupted, burying Pompeii and Herculaneum
What is AD 79?
Both towns were located in this region of southern Italy known for seismic and volcanic activity
What is Campania?
These crops thrived in the Campania region
What are grapes, wheat, olives, or fruits (figs, peaches, pears, etc.)?
This fermented fish sauce, made from tuna, mackerel and anchovies, became one of Pompeii's most famous exports
What is garum?
This agricultural export, grown on the fertile slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, supported both local consumption and export
What is wine?
The discovery of 31 of these in Pompeii and 2 in Pompeii, often with millstones, ovens, and stables for mules, indicate the importance of this occupation and type of tabernae in feeding the population of both towns
What are bakers and bakeries?
Children born to parents who were not enslaved at the time of their birth belonged to this class
Who are freeborn, (ingenui) citizens?
Former slaves who had been granted freedom were known by this term
What are freedmen?
(Official) painted wall inscriptions promoting candidates provide evidence for this aspect of Pompeian politics
What is electoral campaigning or programmata?
The political system relied on elite patrons exchanging support and favours with lower-class citizens
What is the patron-client relationship?
Name TWO popular leisure activities in Pompeii and Herculaneum
What is bathing, exercising, gambling, gaming, attending the theatre or amphitheatre or visiting a brothel?
This large public venue hosted gladiatorial contests and other spectacles
What is the amphitheatre?
Pompeii was mainly buried by this volcanic material falling from the sky
What is ash and pumice?
Herculaneum was positioned along this coastal feature, giving it direct access to maritime trade
What is the Bay of Naples?
This type of climate, with warm dry summers and mild wet winters, supported farming in Campania
What is a Mediterranean climate?
These establishments, often identified by the large jars (dolia) set into counters, sold hot food and drink to the cities' urban population
What are thermopolia?
This type of shop, often opening directly onto the street, sold goods and services to passing customers
What is a taberna?
This Pompeian building in the Forum was used for legal cases and business transactions that supported economic activity
What is the Basilica?
Freedmen often remained tied to their former masters through this mutually beneficial social system
What is the patron-client relationship?
Name one prominent female in either Pompeii OR Herculaneum
Who is Mamia (priestess and patron), Eumachia (priestess and patron), or Julia Felix (entrepreneur and landlord)?
This pair of annually elected magistrates held the highest political office in Pompeii and Herculaneum, and were responsible for public finances, ruling over local law cases and fulfilling any laws passed by the town council
Who are the duumviri?
Although potentially wealthy and influential, members of this social group were excluded from holding magistracies in Pompeii and Herculaneum
Who are freedmen?
These small street-front rooms were commonly used as shops, workshops, or taverns
What are tabernae?
These establishments sold hot, ready-to-eat food to residents without private kitchens
What are thermopolia?
Herculaneum was buried by these fast-moving, superheated flows, preserving organic material
What are pyroclastic surges?
Pompeii was located near this river, which helped support trade, agriculture, and transport
What is the Sarno River?
This natural resource, which was found as far away as the Forum of Caesar in Rome, supported major construction in Pompeii and Herculaneum
What is volcanic stone (lava or pumice)?
This open-air market area served as the primary venue for the sale of fresh foodstuffs, including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables
What is the Macellum?
These inscriptions painted on walls advertised products, services and businesses in both Pompeii and Herculaneum
What are programmata or advertisements?
Although the exact function of this Forum building is unclear, a statue of a prominent priestess believed to be a patron of the fullers suggests it was connected to the cloth trade or the fullers’ guild, implying the importance of this occupation and product to Pompeii's economy
What is the Building of Eumachia?
These famous Pompeian freedmen likely became wealthy wine merchants, owning the 30-room House of the Vettii
Who are the Vettii Brothers?
Name TWO occupations and/or roles that could be undertaken by slaves
What is agricultural labour, household domestic tasks, prostitutes, bath house attendants, cloth cleaners in the fullonica, gladiators, entertainers or tutors?
This political body was made up of 80 to 100 freeborn male citizens of good character and reputable profession. Membership was for life and they controlled the city's finances, as well as advising the duumvirs and aediles
Who is the curia (town council) or decuriones?
These two officials were responsible for day-to-day administration, holding markets and festivals, and looking after public buildings, temples, and water supplies in Roman towns
Who are the aediles?
This room was at the front of the domus and was decorated lavishly to impress visitors to the home or people passing by
What is the atrium?
This type of room, often decorated with frescoes, was used for formal dining in wealthy homes
What is a triclinium?
Many victims in Pompeii died as a result of this combination of heat and gases during later phases of the eruption
What is pyroclastic flow or asphyxiation?
Name one ancient source that discusses and/or provides information about the geography of the region
Who is Strabo, Martial, Pliny the Elder, or the Bacchus fresco?
This Roman author praised the agricultural abundance of Campania in Natural History, stating the gods of wine and grain "fought their hardest" there
Who is Pliny the Elder?
This occupation and type of workshop, was responsible for cleaning and treating cloth, often using urine as part of the process
What are fullers and fulleries?
This street, identified as the longest (and main) street in Pompeii, ran from the Forum in the western part of the city to the Porta Sarno in the eastern part of the city
What is the Via dell'Abbondanza?
Identify one ancient source that provides insight into and/or information about the use of the forum in Pompeii
What is the mensa ponderaria, frieze in the House of Julia Felix, etc.?
This elite Herculaneum citizen funded the Suburban Baths, city walls, and the Youth Games. He also had no fewer than 10 statues erected in honour of him around the city
Who is Marcus Nonius Balbus?
Identify at least one source that provides insight into the way slaves were treated, either by their owners and/or by society
What is the auction frieze from the House of Julia Felix, inscriptions from Herculaneum detailing business roles/legal disputes/punishments, the shackled slave from the House of the Mosaic Columns, the golden snake bracelet inscribed by the master "to his slave girl"?
Wealthy candidates often gained favour by funding or providing these to gain political support
What are games, public buildings, or free bread?
The building in the Forum where freedmen and freeborn men went to vote in elections
What is the Comitium?
Identify ONE thing we know from archaeological evidence about the health of the inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum
What is changes in tooth enamel (food shortage, serious illness), better tooth health in Herculaneum than Pompeii, and chronic conditions (e.g. arthritis) in many inhabitants due to hard labour?
Public bath houses were a cornerstone of Roman leisure. Identify ONE of these bathing complexes
What are the Stabian, Forum, Central or Suburban Baths?
This Roman author provides the only surviving eyewitness account of the eruption in letters to Tacitus
Who is Pliny the Younger?