While studying in the city of Rome, I have learned a lot about ancient Rome. Before Rome came to its fall, it was the most powerful empire. There were many different social classes. These particular classes had divided people from each other. It had separated people depending on if they were rich or poor. The richer the people were the more they were considered important to society.
After visiting Pompeii, I had realized its ancient history. Pompeii seemed to have been more interesting than Ancient Rome. The social classes had been very similar to Ancient Rome. The people of Pompeii loved to show off by acknowledging who had money and who did not. Before the volcano had erupted, it was a great city with many activities for pleasure and entertainment. There were private shops, markets, public baths, an amplitheater, etc. It did not seem to have been a very put together city like Rome had been.There are many similarities of ancient Rome and Pompeii. In both cities, a great way to gain happiness was eating and drinking good food and wine. Still today, Rome is known for great food and wine.
Pompeii and Rome also have a few differences. While visiting Pompeii, I noticed that sex had been used for great pleasure. In fact, they had certain rooms where one would chose which position they wanted. A man would pay and then go into a room of concrete with a woman who was a prostitute. A main priority in Pompeii had been sex. It seems to me that Pompeii had been more laid back than what ancient Rome had been.
I have come to realize that both ancient Rome and Pompeii had many similarities and also many differences. Rome had been a city of power while Pompeii had very little. Pompeii seemed to be more of a vacation spot for entertainment and pleasure. Ancient Rome was a place of religion. Both cities have a lot of history and I find it to be very interesting to have had the opportunity to learned about both ancient cultures.
I agree with you that I found the history of Pompeii more interesting than Rome. I think it is in part to the scandalous lifestyle and the disastrous ending to that civilization. Not to mention that our guide at Pompeii was by far the best guide we have had yet.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to remember that while Pompeii may have had more brothels because of it being a port city, Rome was by no means "above" having prostitutes. The only reason we can see the pictures in the brothels of Pompeii rather than in the side streets of Rome - is Pompeii was preserved by Mount Vesuvious, and was hidden for hundreds of years. Is still hidden, for much of it, yet to be discovered. Rome, however, lived on and changed as the people changed. Keep in mind that many sculptures were destroyed, and there was even a time where all of the genitalia of the male statues were removed by a hammer because they were seen as too erotic. This could not happen in Pompeii because it was not yet found beneath the rock of hardened lava.
ReplyDeleteThink of it as graffiti on the walls. One day it can say "I love Johnny", but the next it can be erased to say, "For a good time call...". Another day could even quote a bible verse, it just depends on who is passing. If a volcano erupted on the day it said "For a good time call" we would have a totally different view of the people who once lived there.
I think that Rome was a lot like Pompeii even though we cannot see all the art that portrayed it to be that way like Pompeii. Prostitutes were common in most all cities during that time because it was really not frowned upon like it is today. I am sure Rome had the pictures like Pompeii did but Pompeii was covered and preserved under ash for a really long time. Rome went through a lot of natural causes like earthquakes and great fires which took a toll on the "art" around the city. Plus, Rome had a lot of theft from people that would steal marble and art. But I would also like to agree that I found Pompeii a lot more interesting.
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