Pompeii facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the classical Roman city. For the modern Italian city, see Pompei. For the Classical Roman leader, see Pompey. For the Roman family, see Pompeia gens. For the Pacific island, see Pohnpei.

Quick facts for kids
Pompeii
History
View of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius
Location in Italy
Location	Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, Italy
Coordinates	40°45′0″N 14°29′10″E / 40.75000°N 14.48611°E / 40.75000; 14.48611
Type	Settlement
Area	64 to 67 ha (170 acres)
Founded	7th–6th century BC
Abandoned	AD 79

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Archaeological Areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii, iv, v
Designated	1997 (21st session)
Reference no.	829
Region	Europe

Pompeii was an ancient Roman city in Italy. It was located near the modern city of Naples. In AD 79, a huge volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted. This eruption buried Pompeii and other nearby towns like Herculaneum.

The city was covered in about 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet) of volcanic ash and rock. This ash preserved Pompeii almost perfectly. It was like a snapshot of Roman life, frozen in time. Archaeologists have found amazing details about how people lived.

Pompeii was a rich city. About 11,000 people lived there in AD 79. It had many beautiful public buildings and fancy homes. These homes were decorated with art and furniture.

When archaeologists found empty spaces in the ash, they realized these were where bodies had decayed. They poured plaster into these spaces. This created casts of people and animals in their final moments. It's a powerful and sometimes sad way to see history.

Today, Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of Italy's most popular tourist spots. About 2.5 million people visit it every year.

Pompeii: An Ancient City Frozen in Time

Pompeii was an amazing ancient city. It was buried by a volcano almost 2,000 years ago. This makes it a unique place to learn about Roman life.

What Was Pompeii?

Pompeii was a busy Roman town. It had a population of around 11,000 people. The city was known for its beautiful buildings. Many homes had fancy decorations and art.

When Mount Vesuvius erupted, ash covered the city. This ash kept everything safe from decay. It was like a time capsule. This is why Pompeii is so special today.

Archaeologists have found many things there. They even found empty spaces where people's bodies once were. They filled these spaces with plaster. This created casts showing how people looked when they died.

The Story of Its Name

The name Pompeii comes from an ancient language called Oscan. The Oscan word pompe means "five." Some people think this means the city was made of five small villages. Others believe it was settled by a family group called the Pompeia gens.

The Forum of Pompeii with the entrances to the Basilica (left) and Macellum (right), the Temple of Jupiter (front) and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

Where Was Pompeii Located?

Pompeii was built on a plateau. This land was about 40 meters (130 feet) above sea level. It was formed by earlier eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. The volcano was only about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away.

The city was once right by the sea. But today, it is about 700 meters (2,300 feet) inland. The nearby Sarno River was important for trade. It helped early Greek and Phoenician sailors. Later, the Romans used it as a port.

A Brief History of Pompeii

Pompeii was much older than the Roman city we see today. It started as a small settlement. It grew a lot after 450 BC. This was when the Greeks had more influence.

Settlement phases of Pompeii
red: 1st (Samnite) town
blue: 1st expansion, 4th c. BC
green: 2nd expansion
yellow: Roman expansion, from 89 BC

The Big Earthquake of AD 62

People in Pompeii were used to small earthquakes. But on February 5, AD 62, a very strong earthquake hit. It caused a lot of damage around the Bay of Naples. Pompeii was hit especially hard.

This earthquake was probably between 5 and 6 on the Richter scale. Many buildings were damaged. People started to rebuild the city. They fixed homes and public places. This rebuilding was still happening when Vesuvius erupted.

The Vesuvius Eruption in AD 79

Pompeii and other cities affected by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The black cloud represents the general distribution of ash and cinder. Modern coast lines are shown.

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius lasted for two days. The first part was a rain of light volcanic rock. This lasted about 18 hours. Most people had time to escape. Many took their valuable items with them.

Later, fast-moving clouds of hot ash and gas began. These are called pyroclastic flows. They knocked down buildings. They also suffocated or burned anyone left behind. By the end of the second day, the eruption was over. Pompeii was buried under up to 6 meters (20 feet) of ash.

Pliny the Younger's Account

A writer named Pliny the Younger saw the eruption. He was across the Gulf of Naples. He wrote about it 25 years later. His uncle, Pliny the Elder, died trying to help people. Pliny the Elder was an admiral. He ordered ships to rescue people.

When Did the Eruption Happen?

For a long time, people thought the eruption happened in August. But new studies in 2022 suggest it was in October. There are many clues:

People wore warm clothes, not summer clothes.
Fresh fruits and vegetables were typical of October.
Wine jars were sealed, which happened in late October.
Coins found were minted after September.

Rediscovering the Lost City

After the eruption, survivors tried to get valuables. They dug holes in walls to find things. The tops of some tall buildings could still be seen. This showed people where to dig.

Over many centuries, Pompeii was forgotten. Its name and exact location were lost. More eruptions covered the ruins even deeper. The area became known as La Civita, meaning "the city."

Periods/areas of excavations

Early Discoveries and Secrets

In 1592, an architect named Domenico Fontana was digging. He was building an underground water channel. He found ancient walls with paintings. His channel went right through the buried city. But he kept his discovery a secret.

Later, in 1689, someone saw an inscription. It mentioned "town councillor of Pompeii." But it was not until 1693 that people realized Pompeii was buried there.

Scientific Excavations Begin

Nearby Herculaneum was found in 1738. This led to more digging at Pompeii in 1748. Charles of Bourbon, the King of Naples, was very interested. He wanted to show off these amazing finds.

The first scientific excavations started later. More progress was made when the French ruled Naples. They hired many workers. Large parts of the city were uncovered. People could finally see how big Pompeii was. Important houses were found, like the House of the Faun.

Fiorelli's plan of regiones

In 1863, Giuseppe Fiorelli took charge. He made a big discovery. He realized the empty spaces in the ash were from bodies. He developed a way to pour plaster into them. This created the famous casts of Vesuvius's victims. Today, clear resin is used instead of plaster.

Fiorelli also made maps of the city. He divided it into nine areas. He numbered the houses. This helped archaeologists study the city better.

Modern Archaeology at Pompeii

After Fiorelli, excavations continued. Archaeologists wanted to find more amazing things. But they didn't always focus on preserving the city.

In the 1920s, Amedeo Maiuri dug deeper. He found older layers of the city. This helped us learn about Pompeii's early history. He did large excavations in the 1950s. But his work was not always well-documented.

Since the 1980 earthquake, large-scale digging has stopped. Now, archaeologists focus on protecting the ruins. They try to slow down their decay.

In recent years, new discoveries have been made. In 2018, remains of horses were found. In 2020, two men were found buried in ash. They might have been a rich man and his slave.

Also in 2020, a thermopolium was found. This was like an ancient snack bar. It had colorful paintings and food remains. They found duck, goat, and snails! They even found a tiny dog skeleton. This shows Romans bred small dogs.

In 2021, a beautiful ceremonial chariot was found. It was made of bronze and wood. Also, a painted tomb of a freed slave was discovered. It showed he organized Greek and Latin plays. This was new evidence of Greek culture in Pompeii.

Keeping Pompeii Safe Today

Objects buried in Pompeii were safe for 2,000 years. There was no air or moisture to damage them. But since they were dug up, they have faced many problems.

Weather, erosion, and light have caused decay. Poor digging methods and rebuilding also caused damage. Plants, animals, tourists, and even thieves have harmed the site. Many original decorations have faded. Two-thirds of the city has been uncovered. But the ruins are decaying fast.

During World War II, bombs damaged many buildings.

The World Monuments Fund has listed Pompeii as needing urgent repair. In 2010, the "House of the Gladiators" collapsed. This was due to heavy rain and poor drainage. This caused a big argument about neglect.

Today, money is spent on conservation. But it's hard to protect such a huge site. UNESCO warned in 2013 that Pompeii could be put on the "World Heritage in Danger" list. A big project called "Grande Progetto Pompei" is working to fix and protect the buildings.

In recent years, some ancient gardens have been replanted. They used old paintings and archaeological finds. This helps visitors imagine what they looked like. Many long-closed houses have also reopened after being restored.

Life in Ancient Pompeii

Pompeii is very important for studying Roman architecture. It shows how Romans built cities. It was a smaller city. But it had many buildings from as early as the 4th century BC. By 89 BC, most of the city's streets were already laid out.

Portico in front of the entrance of the Macellum

Public Buildings and Fun

Under the Romans, Pompeii grew a lot. New public buildings were added. These included an amphitheater for gladiator fights. It also had a large exercise ground with a swimming pool. There were two theaters for plays.

The Amphitheatre of Pompeii

Pompeii also had four public baths. These were like ancient spas. Other important buildings included the Macellum (meat market). There were also bakeries and thermopolia (snack bars). A large hotel was found outside the city.

An aqueduct brought water to the city. It supplied public baths and over 25 street fountains. Many private homes also had running water.

Shops and Workplaces

Pompeii had at least 31 bakeries. Each had wood-burning ovens and millstones. The Modestus bakery was the largest.

Thermopolia were very popular. These were inns or snack bars. They sold hot food and drinks. Pompeii had almost 100 of them. The thermopolium of Vetutius Placidus had a counter and large pots. It also had a dining room.

Wool processing was a big industry. There were many workshops for cleaning, spinning, and dyeing wool. The Building of Eumachia was a wool market. It was built by a priestess. It even had a jar for collecting urine. This was used as a detergent for clothes!

There was also a garum workshop. This made a popular fish sauce. Large containers of the sauce were found there.

Farming and Food in Pompeii

Archaeologists have learned a lot about farming in Pompeii. The soil around Mount Vesuvius was very fertile. It was good for growing crops. The sea air also helped keep the soil moist.

The 'Foro Boario' vineyard at Pompeii, replanted as it was at the time of the eruption.

Farmers grew barley, wheat, and millet. They also produced wine and olive oil. These were exported to other regions. Wine was very important to Pompeii's economy. The vineyards were very efficient.

Archaeologists found remains of ancient wineries. They look very similar to modern Italian vineyards. They also found carbonized food remains. These show what people ate. They ate wheat, millet, walnuts, figs, pears, and grapes. Most of these foods were grown locally.

Visiting Pompeii Today

Pompeii has been a popular place to visit for over 250 years. It was part of the "Grand Tour" for travelers. Today, it is one of Italy's most visited sites. It is part of a larger Vesuvius National Park.

To help protect Pompeii, new tickets are available. These let tourists visit other nearby sites. This helps spread out the visitors. The town of Pompei nearby relies on tourism. Many people work in hotels and restaurants.

Excavations have mostly stopped at Pompeii. Less than a third of the buildings are open to visitors today. This is to help preserve the site.

The Pompeii Museum

The Antiquarium of Pompeii is a museum. It was first built in the 1870s. It shows archaeological finds. These items tell us about daily life in the ancient city.

The museum was damaged during World War II. It was also hit by an earthquake in 1980. It closed for 36 years. It reopened in 2016 for temporary exhibits. In 2021, it became a permanent museum again. Visitors can see discoveries and plaster casts of victims. They can also learn about Pompeii's long history.

Documentaries

In Search of... (1979) focused on Pompeii.
National Geographic special In the Shadow of Vesuvius (1987) explored Pompeii.
Ancient Mysteries: Pompeii: Buried Alive (1996) was narrated by Leonard Nimoy.
Pompeii: The Last Day (2003) was a BBC drama. It showed the last hours of people in Pompeii.
Pompeii and the AD 79 eruption (2004) was a Japanese documentary.
Pompeii Live (2006) showed a live archaeological dig.
Pompeii: The Mystery of the People Frozen in Time (2013) was a BBC documentary.
The Riddle of Pompeii (2014) was on Discovery Channel.
Pompeii: The Dead Speak (2016) was on Smithsonian Channel.
Pompeii's People (2017) was a CBC documentary.