The last 30 years have seen an abundance of archaeological discoveries in Rome and Pompeii. Increased construction activity for new subway lines in Rome brought to light some striking discoveries that significantly changed our understanding of the city during the first three centuries of the Empire, especially in the area between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum.

There have also been major discoveries in Pompeii and Herculaneum, buried under nearly 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year 79. C. Brian Rose examines topics such as how the appearance of these cities changed during the Republic and early Empire and how their residents prepared for religious festivals, dinner parties, and gladiatorial games. He also reviews the ways in which these buried cities and their exploration have had a lasting impact on European and American culture.

Rose is the James B. Pritchard professor of Mediterranean archaeology at the University of Pennsylvania.

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