Tuesday, February 14th

Pompeii (Ellie)

In 6th grade we studied Roman daily life in Pompeii: the bars and restaurants, the court room, the temples, the homes. In 7th grade we learned about the horror the citizens of Pompeii faced during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in August of 79 CE which resulted in the complete destruction of Pompeii. Walking around the streets of Pompeii, we were able to visualize both. Not only were we able to see the ruins left from the eruption, but we were able to almost experience what the Romans’ lives were like. Just looking at the roads, the viae, we were able to relate our studies of Roman construction of streets and their drainage systems. We even saw the remains of the old aqueducts, a system the Romans invented. We were able to relate our knowledge of the Romans’ jobs and hobbies to what we saw in front of us in a way that we cannot in the classroom. In spite of the colossal contemporary statues blocking our view, I don’t think there is a better way to understand and experience the lives of the Romans than walking the streets of Pompeii, so tragically preserved for us to see today.