The tragedy that occurred in such a short period of time took the lives of thousands of people, but has given us a rare opportunity to see a moment in ancient Roman life frozen forever.

Because of the prolonged nature of the eruption, many fugitives had time to prepare for their flight.  The remains of victims were found alongside many possessions they held dear to them and hoped to save in their flight from the ashes.  These pieces proved extremely valuable in identifying the victims, and help us reconstruct details of daily life: doctors carried with them their surgical tools in hopes of helping others; the dominas, or women of the house, held their precious jewels and heirlooms; and slaves were found with iron rings around their ankles.  But there is no certainty here—looters were abundant, and not even experts can be sure of the difference between the thief and the rightful owner.

The artifacts found near human remains attest to the affluence of many of Pompeii's inhabitants. In AD 79 the Roman Empire was just a century old, and Herculaneum, just north of Pompeii, was a seaside resort for the Roman elite, perhaps even for Emperor Nero. Through the excavations of Pompeii in the last 200 years, archaeologists have been able to draw important conclusions about life during this time. Pompeii: Stories from an Eruption offers a glimpse into these conclusions.

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