Pompeii: The Last Day

by Paul Wilkinson

On August 24, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the twin Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under a shroud of volcanic debris. Undisturbed for more than 1,600 years, their eventual discovery and excavation amazed the world. In Pompeii: The Last Day, archaeologist Paul Wilkinson uses all the available evidence to piece together exactly what happened on that fateful day and to paint a vivid picture of what 1st-century Roman provincial life would have been like. The book also includes a one-day tour of Pompeii, complete with street maps and a full itinerary. A unique glimpse of a devastating moment in history. Dr. Paul Wilkinson, an archaeologist specializing in Roman studies, heads the Kent Archaeological Field School. He is a regular contributor to BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, HISTORY TODAY, and THE SUNDAY TIMES; he is also the editor of PRACTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2003

Reviews

[Teresa Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been dipping in and out of this book for a while because being non fiction I have been able to concentrate on other books at the same time. It gives an account of how the two cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum arose, moves on to everyday life and customs and then gets on to the tragedy that befell those two places. There are accounts of individuals and families and how they died. There is a lot of description with the Latin words for buildings and people's occupations. If anything there is too much description and detail. I found the most interesting part the history of the discovery of the buried cities and the many attempts to uncover and preserve what lay underneath. Unfortunately many objects were stolen or ruined in these attempts. I enjoyed reading the book because it is a subject which has fascinated me since I was a child and still does. I dreamt about visiting Pompeii and that dream was finally fulfilled a few years ago. I visited both cities, spending many hours wandering the ancient streets and in and out of buildings and they didn't disappoint. This book is certainly worth a read if you are interested in finding out the history of the terrible tragedy that occurred in AD 79.

[Andrew Fielding · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to what happened at Pompeii and Herculaneum. Detailed history of the archeological history. would have like a bit more about the daily lived experience of the people who lived there.

[Claire Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good little book giving the relevant information about the different areas in the two towns as they neared the end and after

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

As human beings, our desires and thoughts have not changed much in 2000 years. I am so impressed with the paintings and mosaics that were being created in this time period. It is haunting to think what the people of Pompeii endured during their last day of life.