Pompeii's tragedy is our windfall: an ancient city fully preserved, its urban design and domestic styles speaking across the ages. This richly illustrated book conducts us through the captured wonders of Pompeii, evoking at every turn the life of the city as it was 2,000 years ago.

When Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. its lava preserved not only the Pompeii of that time but a palimpsest of the city's history, visible traces of the different societies of Pompeii's past. Paul Zanker, a noted authority on Roman art and architecture, disentangles these tantalizing traces to show us the urban images that marked Pompeii's development from country town to Roman imperial city. Exploring Pompeii's public buildings, its streets and gathering places, we witness the impact of religious changes, the renovation of theaters and expansion of athletic facilities, and the influence of elite families on the city's appearance. Through these stages, Zanker adeptly conjures a sense of the political and social meanings in urban planning and public architecture.

The private houses of Pompeii prove equally eloquent, their layout, decor, and architectural detail speaking volumes about the life, taste, and desires of their owners. At home or in public, at work or at ease, these Pompeians and their world come alive in Zanker's masterly rendering. A provocative and original reading of material culture, his work is an incomparable introduction to urban life in antiquity.

Reader Reviews

John Somers

(4/5)

Aug 13, 2019

14/20

Rena Sherwood

(1/5)

Oct 07, 2015

Made me never want to read a non-fiction book on Pompeii ever again. This is a translation and something definitely got lost here. This is an excruciating look at the interior decoration and "use of space" at Pompeii. There's also a lot of bitching about Pompeii's remains not being properly treated. It's Pompeii! It was wiped out by a volcano! Think it may have been damaged already? Talk about shutting the barn door after the horse has not only bolted but ripped the door off its friggin' hinges....

Aug 15, 2008

soooooo boring!!

Nancy

(2/5)

Jun 23, 2012

Pretty dry. Strictly architecture.

Sharyn Martin

(5/5)

Sep 02, 2013

Christy

(3/5)

Dec 16, 2010

Katrina

Jun 02, 2014

Sam

Feb 01, 2010

Yancy Smith

Jun 06, 2015

Cheryl Paulson

Aug 10, 2014

Steve Llewellyn

Aug 03, 2013

Steven

Nov 13, 2008

Susan

Jul 07, 2014

Briana Jackson

Apr 15, 2013

Brooke

Sep 09, 2014

Bunny Waring

Nov 26, 2016

Lids

Apr 25, 2014

Jackson Green

Jan 07, 2016

E.C.R.

Apr 17, 2011

Ann

Apr 09, 2011

Kevin Cole

Jan 19, 2011

Johnny Johnson

Aug 09, 2018

Rosemary

Jan 25, 2016

Alex Reborn

Jan 21, 2017

Stephanie

Oct 27, 2007

Chaz

Jan 28, 2013

Dave G

Apr 03, 2012

Matthew

Jan 03, 2011

Jul 12, 2009

Del

Mar 16, 2018

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Pompeii: Public and Private Life

Pompeii: Public and Private Life

Pompeii: Public and Private Life

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