1.1 Survey of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Understanding and using the sources

Understanding and Using the Sources

  1. Using Pliny’s description, list the natural resources of the region.

The natural resources of the region were fields of grain, warm springs filled with shellfish and their finest fish. There were also many vines growing grapes and olives to produce oil and for the pleasure of eating too.

  1. According to Martial, why was Mount Vesuvius important to the people of Pompeii?

Mount Vesuvius was so important to the people of Pompeii because it held all the green vines, with grapes filled with dripping vats. It contained all the natural resources for the people to ouse according to Martial.

  1. How does the wall painting in Source 6 illustrate the written description in Source 5?

The wall painting in Source 6 depicts the green vines and utilises a man covered in grapes with liquid dripping from their hand on the left (dripping vats within the grapes). It also depicts the haunts of Venus which is the large snake on the bottom slithering through the leaves.

Check your learning

  1. How does Pompeii demonstrate Roman skill in road making?

Pompeii demonstrates Roman skill in road making through the many rehabilitations used.

  1. What were the advantages of Fiorelli’s system of locating houses and buildings?

The advantages of Fiorelli’s system of locating houses and buildings were his plaster casts and the efficiency where a corpse or other organic material had been buried in ash, it had rotted over time, leaving a cavity.