Young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus, placed in charge of the Agua Augusta, sets out for Pompeii in an effort to fix the problems that have been plaguing the enormous aqueduct, but he soon learns there are natural and man-made forces working against him.
Prima, a slave, convinces the master's son to teach her to read and write--a skill that comes in handy when a message arrives while the master is away from home warning of an impending volcano eruption.
Describes the discovery of Pompeii, the volcanic eruption that destroyed it, life in the ancient city when it was alive and flourishing, and issues related to its excavation.
Describes the design, economy, food and drink, homes, gardens, culture, destruction, and ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the two cities buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
a new look at the last days of Pompeii, how the towers fell, and other strange connections
Pellegrino, Charles R
2004
Looks at what modern forensic archaeology has revealed about the everyday lives of the citizens of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the days before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed the twin cities, and applies the lessons of volcano physics to draw parallels between the ancient disaster and the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.
