This is the third part of three-part series on Pompeii. Read first part here and second part here.
By Roquiyya Fatima
The unfortunate destruction of the Roman city, also helped to perfectly preserve it, and hence it was surprising to note how the place was once so lavish and developed. There were marketplaces, Amphitheatres, pubs, temples, brothels etc.
The society was patriarchal. Men and women were not allowed to sit together in public gatherings. There were both male and female prostitutes. So, the people were actively indulging in fornication and aberrancy. There were brothels in large numbers with erotic images on the walls. It was completely legal profession and even taxed, a little resemblance to the Kautilyan depiction of Mauryan India. Sexuality was flaunted openly not only in the streets but also in the houses of common people.
There were dress codes for the prostitutes, most of them being slaves from Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Asia, and even had their names registered with age, place of birth, etc, and were also paid. There were about 41 brothels in the whole area, and Lupanar was believed to be the largest in the city and one of the oldest in the world, and these were not separated from public places.
The graffiti shows the existence of homosexuality or bi-sexuality and orgy. The images of phalluses, even at the entrance gate of various houses, were seen as good luck. The lewd images were seen even on potteries. Men even had concubines or slave girls, and they had to be loyal to their masters and were forced to follow their orders.
People were not allowed to marry outside their status, marriages were held to get the reputation, property, and to establish strong political relations. Wives were seen as procreators only.
Pompeii was seen as a holiday resort for the Roman elites. The presence of bars or pubs found during the excavation and dice confirms that gambling used to take place. The wine pots were large in number, and even the trade of wine was prevalent. This reveals that people were heavily indulged in gambling and drinking. As it shows that the Roman society lived a luxurious life.
Slavery
The slaves were large in number as even the corpse’s shows the belt around the waist and the name of their masters engraved in it. They were even exploited and their residences were different from the elite people as the small rooms and narrow passages as it showed the new world contrasting from the luxurious city.
There was hierarchical division even at the public places like seen in the Amphitheatre that people were allowed to sit according to their status as masters and slaves were not allowed to sit together.
Food
The people used to eat rich food like, sunbird, sea urchin, pigs, eggs, fish sauce (Garum), lentils etc. that even the poor were had healthy diet. These all were found in the recent study from the drains and waste materials of the city. There were grand and lavished dining and drinking room.
The study also revealed the strong teeth and masculine body that defines the healthy lifestyle of the ancient people.
Trade
The trade declined because of the earth quake which occurred before the eruption but there were still 600 different businesses during the final days.
Laundry
Laundry of Stephanus was a largest among all 18 discovered laundries intended to clean people’s clothes for money. The name of the laundry was discovered from graffiti and frescos outside the building. It was excavated in 1912.As for the cleaning purpose urine was used as a cleaner of the linens. Slaves used their feet in serving the purpose of washing the clothes.
Urine when come in contact with water it converts into Ammonia which is basic in nature and hence neutralizes the acidic dirt. The remains of the large clothes press were found in the east wall of the lobby. On the west side, an office for checking, delivering, receiving clothes were found.
Religion
Romans believed in various Gods and Goddesses. The Chief deity was the Jupiter. He was the king of gods in Roman mythology (The Greek name Zeus). Before the capturing of Pompeii by Romans, Apollo was the central deity. Worshipping of an Egyptian Goddesses Isis (Mother goddesses) was also seen.
They had polytheistic religion and believed that the more gods their Empire had to protect it, the stronger it would be. There were evidences of various temples found during the digging. The three of the important deities were Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. The oldest building in the city was the temple of Apollo.
Bacchus- God of wine was also worshipped as Pompeii had a Vineyard and leading wine-producing area. Various offerings and sacrifices of animals were done in the name of different gods and goddesses.
Roquiyya Fatima is Ph.D. candidate at the Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
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