Pompeii
Tuesday 14 December – 9.00-10.00pm BBC TWO
Pompeii: the most famous volcanic eruption in history. We may know how its victims died but now, a landmark BBC Two film sets out to answer a much more interesting question – how did they live? Throughout 30 years of research at Cambridge, Professor of Classics Mary Beard has rethought what life was really like in this most famous of Roman towns. But are her theories right?
This year, 54 perfectly preserved skeletons found in a suburban cellar in Oplontis, Pompeii, were submitted to a barrage of forensic tests by renowned anthropologist Dr Fabian Kanz for the first time. The scientific secrets of the bones help to put Mary’s theories to the test. What was the difference between rich and poor in Pompeii? What did the people eat? How healthy were they? Will the results support or debunk her theories?
Mary takes viewers on a journey from the cellar through a small ancient town that boasted fast food joints, bakeries (complete with perfectly preserved bread loaves), rowdy bars and even its own brothel. She looks into the myths of Roman hygiene, uncovers the health risks of fetid Roman baths and explores the world’s largest excavation of an ancient sewer to find out more about the Roman diet.
For the first time, BBC Two lifts the lid on this most famous of ancient towns to reveal Pompeii as it has never been seen before.
