Chapter 28 Dusk in Pompeii

At the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, Rome entered its heyday.Pompeii is a microcosm of the glory of Rome in the past.At that time, Pompeii was bordered by the blue Gulf of Naples to the west and the majestic Mount Vesuvius to the north.The Sarno River, which flows to the Gulf of Naples, flows around Pompeii, connecting the ancient Roman Empire with trade from all over the world, bringing merchants to gather in Pompeii.The soil here is fertile, the climate is pleasant, and the products are abundant. Among the rows of grape racks and olives, the Pompeii people planted grains, vegetables, as well as figs and rosemary.However, such a city was buried deep underground by a sudden volcanic eruption, and it was not seen again until the 18th century.

The development of Pompeii began in the early eighth century BC, and it did not become an autonomous city of Rome until the first century BC, with a population of about 20,000.Pompeii covers an area of ​​about 1.5 square kilometers, surrounded by stone walls, with a circumference of 4.8 kilometers and a total of eight gates.The four main streets in the city are in the shape of a well, with sidewalks on both sides, and cars running in the middle. Deep ruts are left on the stone pavement, which shows the scene of heavy traffic in those days.At all the crossings there are pools of marble, adorned with fine statues, containing clear spring water.The spring water is led from the outside of the city to the water tower at the highest point in the city through elevated water tanks, and then flows into various public pools and mansions from the water tower.

There is a rectangular square in the southwest of the city. The most magnificent buildings in the city, such as the government, courts, and large temples, are all concentrated around the square.The scale of the government is very large, and there is a meeting hall for the top figures to handle affairs.The court is a two-story rectangular building, not only for judicial trials, but also for merchants to sign trade contracts.To the northeast of the square is a shopping mall.Judging from the excavated situation, there are row upon row of shops here, with a variety of products, and the business is very prosperous.There is a fruit shop with a wide variety of fruits such as walnuts, chestnuts, figs, etc. on the shelves.Although it is old, its shape is still recognizable.There is still baked bread in a bakery, and the owner's name is still very clear on it.

The southeast corner of the city is a grand arena and a large theater, where gladiator matches and other entertainment activities are often held.The arena in Pompeii is the oldest existing Roman arena and can accommodate about 20,000 people, which is just enough to accommodate the entire city's residents.In the gladiator school at Pompeii, the skeletons of 63 gladiators in chains were unearthed. It is obvious that in the event of disaster, no one would think about their safety, and they were buried alive like this. The gap between the rich and the poor in the ancient Romans was huge. The poor could only live in simple apartments, while the merchants and nobles enjoyed magnificent mansions and groups of servants.In the ruins of Pompeii, many rich houses have been preserved.The gates of the residences all have marble columns and carved gatehouses.There are statues of gods and beasts in the corridors and gardens.The frescoes on the walls and the mosaics on the floors are beautiful.There is a mural with a strong atmosphere of life, which reproduces the production process of metal crafts, spice manufacturing, flower and tree cultivation, grape planting, cloth dyeing and other industries at that time.On another mural, three fairies with wings are carefully picking various flowers among the flowers.

At that time, bathing in public baths was an indispensable part of daily life, so the baths were built of marble and carefully designed, with changing rooms, massage rooms, beauty salons, etc. all available.The bath has hot and cold water pipes to adjust the water temperature.In addition, there is a women-only bath in the innermost part.It is conceivable that the citizens of Pompeii at that time had reached a level of wealth. Relying on the superior natural environment, the Pompeii people lived a prosperous life.Until the moment of the disaster, the people of Pompeii did not know that the fertile soil under their feet was actually a gift from the volcano not far away.The people of Pompeii didn't know that once this volcano, which had gathered strength for hundreds of years, erupted, everything they owned would be destroyed in an instant.

In the middle of the night on August 23, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted.In an instant, the sky was dark, the earth was shaking, and even the calm Bay of Naples was churning with turbulent waves.The erupted lava solidified into stones when it hit the ground.A large amount of rocks and volcanic ash covered the ground near the volcano.Heavy rains followed, causing flash floods.The flood carried stones and volcanic ash, forming a huge mudslide, which poured down unstoppably towards Pompeii.Terrified, the Pompeians ran through the streets.People were hit by gravel and fell, falling volcanic debris continued to pile up, and overwhelmed buildings collapsed one after another.The air waves raised by the magma roasted the remaining houses on the roadside and the people still hiding there.Immediately afterwards, black volcanic ash billowed from above the crater, sealing every door and every window in Pompeii impermeably, and blocking the eyes of those Pompeii who survived the gravel attack. eyes and chest, so that they eventually died of suffocation.In addition, the toxic gases produced by volcanic eruptions are also the cause of death for many people.