HistoryExtra podcast Why Pompeii's tragedy still captivates us today
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Feb 1, 2026 Dr Jess Venner, Roman historian and Pompeii expert who interprets archaeological evidence to illuminate everyday life. She explains plaster cast techniques and what poses reveal about deaths. She contrasts Pompeii and Herculaneum preservation. She examines graffiti, erotic art, recent digs, and the ethics of displaying victims.
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Bodies Reveal Cause And Speed Of Death
- Muscle contraction from extreme heat produced contorted, “frozen” poses in victims and animals.
- These poses reveal cause of death and the rapid, violent nature of the pyroclastic flows.
Pompeii Shows Everyday Lives, Not Just Elites
- Archaeology at Pompeii reveals ordinary people's lives, contradicting literary bias toward elites.
- Graffiti, shops and domestic spaces show women, slaves and working people were active and visible.
Walls As Daily Notebooks
- Pompeii's graffiti includes poetry, shopping lists and game drawings, showing varied daily life.
- Writers recorded mundane details like bread, porridge and sausage on walls as if they were lists or notes.