Ancient History Notes
Pompeii and Herculaneum
Public baths: * The people that had time for leisure, a visit to the baths were a regular social event. It was a place where people meet their friends, political allies and business associates. * It was in Campania that hot baths (thermae) were first developed. Pompeii had public baths as early as the 4th century BC, were as Rome did not have anything similar until the time of Augustus. * The Stabian baths at Pompeii are the earliest. Pompeii came to have many public baths, the Stabian, forum, central and suburban baths were excavated. Herculaneum Baths had two bathing complexes within the town-central and suburban. * Both men and woman went to the baths separately. * The baths were beautifully decorated with marble, stucco and mosaics, the baths gave their clients a taste of luxury and offered much more than just a bath. At the bath it was possible to get a massage, exercise and be pleasured by a prostitutes * Graffiti at both Pompeii and Herculaneum had food and prostitutes. Graffiti in the suburban baths in Pompeii and Herculaneum suggests sexual encounter and the wall painting in the change room (Apodyterium) at Pompeii had erotic scenes to tantalise its visitors.
Archaeologists:
* Fiorelli -1865, more scientific methods where used on the site. Two insulae and the southern section of the baths were revealed. Careful records and kept them. * Mauri –his aim was to resolve the town as closely as possible to its state in AD 79. The whole area of insulae 3 was excavated, including the house of the skeleton. But didn’t document it. * Spinazzola-1910, the director of the excavations and was responsible for excavating via dell’Abbondanza, the first to photograph phases of the excavation.
Religious practice: * Romans worshiped a number of Gods and Goddesses and prayed both in public and private. Religion was central to their lives and part of social and political life. The duties of worship were
Public baths: * The people that had time for leisure, a visit to the baths were a regular social event. It was a place where people meet their friends, political allies and business associates. * It was in Campania that hot baths (thermae) were first developed. Pompeii had public baths as early as the 4th century BC, were as Rome did not have anything similar until the time of Augustus. * The Stabian baths at Pompeii are the earliest. Pompeii came to have many public baths, the Stabian, forum, central and suburban baths were excavated. Herculaneum Baths had two bathing complexes within the town-central and suburban. * Both men and woman went to the baths separately. * The baths were beautifully decorated with marble, stucco and mosaics, the baths gave their clients a taste of luxury and offered much more than just a bath. At the bath it was possible to get a massage, exercise and be pleasured by a prostitutes * Graffiti at both Pompeii and Herculaneum had food and prostitutes. Graffiti in the suburban baths in Pompeii and Herculaneum suggests sexual encounter and the wall painting in the change room (Apodyterium) at Pompeii had erotic scenes to tantalise its visitors.
Archaeologists:
* Fiorelli -1865, more scientific methods where used on the site. Two insulae and the southern section of the baths were revealed. Careful records and kept them. * Mauri –his aim was to resolve the town as closely as possible to its state in AD 79. The whole area of insulae 3 was excavated, including the house of the skeleton. But didn’t document it. * Spinazzola-1910, the director of the excavations and was responsible for excavating via dell’Abbondanza, the first to photograph phases of the excavation.
Religious practice: * Romans worshiped a number of Gods and Goddesses and prayed both in public and private. Religion was central to their lives and part of social and political life. The duties of worship were