Escape from Pompeii : the great eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its survivors / Steven L. Tuck.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tuck, Steven L., author.

Series:

Oxford scholarship online.

Oxford scholarship online

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Disaster relief--Rome.

Disaster relief.

Disaster victims--Rome.

Disaster victims.

Pompeii (Extinct city).

Herculaneum (Extinct city).

Vesuvius (Italy)--Eruption, 79.

Vesuvius (Italy).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (285 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2025]

Summary:

The archaeological park of Pompeii is one of the most famous sites of destruction anywhere in the world. From the time of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE until the eighteenth century, Pompeii and its neighbour Herculaneum lay preserved under a thick layer of volcanic material. Since excavations began three hundred years ago, Pompeii has been revealing the secrets of its victims and the ordinary shape of their lives prior to the catastrophe. But did anyone survive the disaster? In popular culture, the eruption is viewed as an apocalyptic event in which everyone died, while scholars generally assume that some escaped. Steven L. Tuck settles that debate. He starts by establishing the circumstances and timeline of the eruption and the evidence that people at both Pompeii and Herculaneum had the chance to escape the eruption.

Contents:

Cover

ESCAPE FROM POMPEII: The Great Eruption of Mount Vesuvius and Its Survivors

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Acknowledgments

Notes on Names

Note on Addresses at Pompeii

PART I: The Question of Survivors

1: The Eruptive Events of 79

Timeline of the Eruption at Pompeii

Timeline of the Eruption at Herculaneum

Beyond the Bay of Naples

2: The Case for Survivors

Evidence of Escape

Senatorial, Market, Agricultural, and Religious Calendars

Disaster Preparedness

Immediate Intervention during the Eruption

Eruption Sequence, Archaeological Remains, and Survival at Pompeii

Missing or Misplaced Valuables

Absence of Wagons, Carts, and Horses at Pompeii

Distribution and Number of Bodies: "Survivorship Bias"

Absence of Boats at Pompeii

Shipsheds at Herculaneum

Rectina's Messenger

Searching for Survivors

1. Specific Individuals in Both Source and Resettlement Cities

2. New Pompeian or Herculanean Names in Resettlement Communities

3. New Tribal Designations in Communities

4. Terms such as incola, colonus, or domo Pompeii

5. Intermarriage among Survivor Families

6. Cultural Markers of Vesuvian Cities

7. New Infrastructure Consistent with a Larger Population

Limitations of This Method

PART II: The Resettled Survivors

3: Naples

Background

Survivors from Herculaneum

Brinnius

Caninius

Munatius

Survivors from Pompeii

Calidius

Cornelius

Tullius

Vettius

Survivor Intermarriage and Cultural Markers

Infrastructure Consistent with Larger Population

Public Buildings

Private Construction

Expanded Water System

District of the Herculaneans

Emperor Titus and a Rebuilding Inscription

4: Puteoli

Survivors

Fabius

Gavius

Herennius

Suettius

Umbricius.

Family Interconnections in Pompeii and Intermarriage at Puteoli

5: Misenum

Epidius

Gavius and Vettius

Kaninius

Family Interconnections in Pompeii and Intermarriage at Misenum

6: Cumae

Aelius

Caecilius

Granius

Julius

Licinius

Lucretius

Sulpicius

Family Connections in Pompeii and Intermarriage at Cumae

7: Interior Campania, Itinerary 1Nuceria, Nola

Nuceria: Background

Survivors at Nuceria

A Cultural Marker of Oscan Language

Nola: Background

Survivors at Nola

Clodius

Nonius

Infrastructure Indicating Larger Population

8: Interior Campania, Itinerary 2: Atella, Capua, Cales

Atella: Background

Survivors at Atella

Capua: Background

Survivors at Capua

Decidius

M. Loreius

A. Manlius

P. Sittius

Infrastructure Indicating Increased Population

Cales: Background

Survivors at Cales

Popidius and Satrius

Urbanius

Naevius and Neratius

9: Interior Campania: Beneventum

Vibidius

10: Latium

Aquinum

Popidius

Ostia

Caetronius

Caltilius

Other Families

Other Evidence

11: Individual Inscriptions

Morrone del Sannio

Covarrubias, Burgos, Spain

Adamclisi, Dacia

PART III: Analysis and Conclusions

12: Escape from Pompeii: Who, Where, How Many

Locations of Houses and Chance of Escape

Escape by Families

Categories of Escapees

Gender

Social Class: Villa Owners

Social Class: Politically Active City Dwellers.

Social Class: Merchants

Social Class: Freedmen and Freedwomen

Social Class: Poor Romans

Social Class: Enslaved

Social Group: Religious Dedicants

Numbers of Survivors

Proportion of the Population That Escaped

Escapees as a Proportion of the Population in Their New Communities

13: Integration and the Creationof New Lives

The Role of Social and Commercial Networksin Building New Lives

Culture, Identity, and Integration

Social Solidarity, Personal Trauma, and Emotional Response

How Were the Escapees Viewed by Other Romans?

Did the Escapees Fit into Their New Communities?

Government Response, Local and Imperial

Imperial Government Disaster Response

Municipal Government Disaster Response

Final Thoughts

Appendix of Tables of Survivors

Glossary of Latin and Related Terms

Notes

Bibliography

General Index

Index of Survivors and Direct Descendants Alphabetized by Family Name.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource and publisher information; title from PDF title page (viewed on August 11, 2025).

ISBN:

0-19-767825-4

0-19-767824-6

0-19-767823-8

OCLC:

1531380039