When people think of Pompeii, what is the first image that comes to mind? At least part of the media’s obsession with Pompeii is focused on the brothels and brothel paintings of Pompeii. The most famous brothel in Pompeii is Lupanar of Pompeii. There are remnants of a bed made of brick with ten rooms just like this. There are also various forms of graffiti that have been preserved on the walls. Some of the graffiti are quite humorous, which goes to show that the Ancient Romans had a sense of humor.

The other image that comes to mind with Pompeii is the image of people in contorted positions. In 1860, a man named Giuseppe Fiorelli discovered that there were gaps in between the layers of volcanic ash. He took some plaster and filled these gaps, which copied the movements of people who died in the volcanic eruption. Sometimes you see children with terrified expressions on their faces, and it hits home that this is not just another exhibit but a terrible tragedy in which real people died.

Not just Pompeii, but the eruption itself is legendary. The eruption occurred in 79 A.D. on Mount Vesuvius. According to the written account of Pliny the Younger (an Ancient Roman author, writer and lawyer), the eruption lasted two days. The exact number of casualties is unknown, but thousands of plaster casts of human bodies have been made. Also, we can only guess as to how these people died. They may have suffocated from the volcanic ash, or hit by some debris caused by the eruption.