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History Books ยป Prizewinning History Books

Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town by Mary Beard
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Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town

by Mary Beard

***Winner of the 2008 Wolfson History Prize***

Pompeii is a great book that brings to life day-to-day ancient Roman life as we know it from what’s been uncovered from under the ashes of Mt. Vesuvius. The chapters cover different aspects of life like “Earning a Living” or “Who Ran the City?” There are also interesting photos eg. of a gladiator’s helmet found in the gladiators’ accommodation or a cartoon found on the outside of a tomb of gladiators fighting. The opening, “Life Interrupted,” is unforgettable, tracing the people who fled unsuccessfully from the volcanic eruption. As she writes in the opening lines, “In the early hours of 25 August CE, the rain of pumice falling on Pompeii was easing off. It seemed a good moment to leave the city and make a bid for safety.”

Other books by Mary Beard

Twelve Caesars: Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern by Mary Beard

Twelve Caesars: Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern
by Mary Beard

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
by Mary Beard

Women and Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard

Women and Power: A Manifesto
by Mary Beard

Confronting the Classics: Traditions, Adventures and Innovations by Mary Beard

Confronting the Classics: Traditions, Adventures and Innovations
by Mary Beard

The Roman Triumph by Mary Beard

The Roman Triumph
by Mary Beard

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