<!-- factbase:a9b8b0 -->
# Pompeii

# Pompeii

## Overview
Pompeii was a Roman city near modern Naples, Italy, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on 24 August 79 CE. The volcanic ash preserved the city in extraordinary detail, providing an unparalleled snapshot of Roman daily life. @t[=0079]

## Key Facts
- Location: Near modern Naples, Campania, Italy
- Destroyed: 24 August 79 CE (eruption of Vesuvius) @t[=0079]
- Population at destruction: ~11,000–20,000
- Rediscovered: 1748 (systematic excavation began)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997

## Major Features
- Forum: Central public square with temples, basilica, and markets
- Amphitheatre: Oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre (~70 BCE)
- Villa of the Mysteries: Frescoes depicting Dionysiac initiation rites [^1]
- Thermopolia: Fast-food counters (over 80 found)
- Plaster casts of victims: Created by Giuseppe Fiorelli's technique (1863)

## Archaeological Significance
- Preserves Roman urban planning, architecture, art, and daily life
- Graffiti provides insight into language, politics, and social life
- Ongoing excavations continue to reveal new areas [^2]

---
[^1]: Beard, M. *Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town* (2008)
[^2]: Wallace-Hadrill, A. *Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum* (1994)---

## Review Queue

<!-- factbase:review -->
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Destroyed: 24 August 79 CE (eruption of Vesuvius) @t[=0079]" - what is the source?
> Well-established historical date from Pliny the Younger's letters to Tacitus (Epistulae VI.16 and VI.20), the primary eyewitness account. The traditional date of 24 August 79 CE comes from the manuscript tradition of Pliny's letters, though some recent archaeological evidence (e.g. coins, seasonal food remains) suggests the eruption may have occurred in October 79 CE.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Location: Near modern Naples, Campania, Italy" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Population at destruction: ~11,000–20,000" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Rediscovered: 1748 (systematic excavation began)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 14: "UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Forum: Central public square with temples, basilica, and markets" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "Amphitheatre: Oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre (~70 BCE)" - when was this true?
> 70 BCE event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 19: "Villa of the Mysteries: Frescoes depicting Dionysiac initiation rites [^1]" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 20: "Thermopolia: Fast-food counters (over 80 found)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 21: "Plaster casts of victims: Created by Giuseppe Fiorelli's technique (1863)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 24: "Preserves Roman urban planning, architecture, art, and daily life" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 25: "Graffiti provides insight into language, politics, and social life" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 26: "Ongoing excavations continue to reveal new areas [^2]" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Beard (2008) [^1]; Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 7: Malformed temporal tag @t[=79] — see docs for valid syntax
> Fix to @t[=0079] for 4-digit year format.
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: Malformed temporal tag @t[=79] — see docs for valid syntax
> Fix to @t[=0079] for 4-digit year format.
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Location: Near modern Naples, Campania, Italy" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Destroyed: 24 August 79 CE (eruption of Vesuvius) @t[=79]" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Population at destruction: ~11,000–20,000" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Rediscovered: 1748 (systematic excavation began)" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 14: "UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 17: "Forum: Central public square with temples, basilica, and markets" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 18: "Amphitheatre: Oldest surviving Roman amphitheatre (~70 BCE)" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 20: "Thermopolia: Fast-food counters (over 80 found)" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 21: "Plaster casts of victims: Created by Giuseppe Fiorelli's technique (1863)" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 24: "Preserves Roman urban planning, architecture, art, and daily life" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 25: "Graffiti provides insight into language, politics, and social life" - what is the source?
> Beard (2008) [^1], Wallace-Hadrill (1994) [^2]
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 19: "Villa of the Mysteries: Frescoes depicting Dionysiac initiation rites [^1]" - Beard source from 2008 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Beard (2008) findings are still accepted by modern archaeologists.
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 26: "Ongoing excavations continue to reveal new areas [^2]" - Wallace-Hadrill source from 1994 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Wallace-Hadrill (1994) findings are still accepted by modern archaeologists.