The Town of Pompeii (Stage 3)
Write the answers in full sentences on the lines.
1. How far is Pompeii from Mount Vesuvius?
It is eight kilometres from Mount Vesuvius.
2. Why did rich Romans like to have houses in Campania? (Give two reasons.)
The land was fertile. It was peaceful. There was pleasant climate.
3. How many gates were there? There were eight gates.
4. a) Why were the pavements so high? They were high to keep the vehicles and the
rubbish in the road.
b) The height of the pavements is one reason for having stepping-stones? Give another
reason. They meant you did not have to step in the dirty road.
5. a) How was water brought to the town?
in an aqueduct
b ) To what three different types of place did water go? (for
example, some private houses
private houses, baths, fountains in the streets
6. There were two theatres in Pompeii: the Theatre and the Odeon (the small theatre)
a) Which one had a roof?
The Odeon had a roof.
b) Which one was used for concerts and not for plays? The Odeon was used for concerts.
7. What entertainments could you see in the amphitheatre?
You could see gladiator fights and animal hunts in the amphitheatre.
8. What is the Latin word for the open-air sports area? It was a palaestra.
9. Many shops have been excavated in Pompeii. Sometimes we can guess what a shop sold. Can
you suggest one kind of evidence which tells us what a shop sold?
There were pictures outside as signs. A bakery would have an oven and a big mill for
grinding corn. Sometimes things were left behind, like lots of jars in a jar shop.
Extra questions (The answers to these are not in the text book!)
a. Work it out yourself!
Imagine you are Caecilius and a friend is going to arrive in Pompeii by boat. What directions would you
give him for getting to your house?
First climb up to the Sea Gate, then go straight on, cross the forum and go straight on. Just
after you reach some big baths on the left, turn left. After you pass some more baths (not
finished) you have nearly arrived. Then ask someone!
Look in a book or on the internet!
b. Aqueducts normally brought water to towns. Why did the Romans have lots of small aqueducts at
Las Médulas in the province of León? The aqueducts were built to help to wash gold out of
the mountains there.
c. The most famous aqueduct in the world is the Pont du Gard.
Which country is it in? France
Which Roman city did it take water to? Nemausus (now Nîmes)