Pompeii: The Living City

This startling new book concentrates on the twenty years between 59 and 79AD, thus beginning with the earthquake which all but destroyed Pompeii and ending with the volcanic eruption which has become part of our collective popular imagination. Alex Butterworth and Ray Laurence have synthesised the latest research into Pompeii to bring this period of flux and instability back to life. By concentrating on key members from each strata of Pompeiian society we are plunged into the everyday life of a city rebuilding itself, in the knowledge that it will all be for nothing when Vesuvius erupts. So we follow Suedius Clemens who has been sent by Vespasian to settle disputes over land; Decimus Satrius Lucretius Valens who is set to join Pompeii's elite magistrates following the death of his protector; the Vettii brothers who were fabulously rich and ostentacious dealers in wine and perfume; Pherusa, the runaway slave; lusty young Rustus who is contemplating parricide... This exhilirating narrative approach to Pompeii captures the subjective experience of life in the city, and uses Pompeii as an introduction to the cultural landscape of the Roman empire as a whole.… (more)

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LibraryThing member Meggo

An engaging mix of history and historical fiction grounded in the architecture, art and graffiti of the lost cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, this book will appeal to classics buffs, Roman fans and history majors. This book provides a glimpse into provincial Roman life that is new and different,

and well worth the read.

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LibraryThing member anutany

I did not particularly like the mix of historical fiction and history. I thought that those fiction vignettes undermined the actual research while not adding anything of interest to the story. Many chapters were devoted to Nero and Roman politics of the time, which was relevant but seemed like

filler since it did not contribute much to the Pompeian narrative. On top of that the book lacked structure and seemed disjoined. I thought that Mary Beard’s work provided much better and more engaging look into the life of Pompeii.

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LibraryThing member TheIdleWoman

This is a vivid insight into the society and culture of Pompeii during the twenty-odd years leading up to the 79AD eruption. I thoroughly recommend it as preparatory reading for a visit to Pompeii, or as follow-up reading afterwards. One of the authors is a novelist, the other a historian: the

result is a delightfully lively intertwining of history and fictional vignettes. which are based on the lives of people who are known to have lived in the city. And, for all those who learned Latin through the Cambridge Schools books - Caecilius makes an appearance. To sum up: this is a very easy-to-read, absorbing book and a great way to learn more about the background of the period.

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