Beyond the podcast: Pompeii
Want to know more about the story of Pompeii and its destruction in AD 79? HistoryExtra's Kev Lochun rounds up some essential reads to help you understand more about what happened when Vesuvius erupted, what life was like in Roman towns, and how the Roman world responded to the disaster
- Kev Lochun
Published: January 6, 2026 at 5:21 PM
10 items
- Share on facebook
- Share on twitter
- Share on whatsapp
- Email to a friend
In AD 79, Pompeii and Herculaneum were obliterated by the eruption of Vesuvius, buried and preserved under metres of volcanic ash – and so too were their inhabitants, frozen in the moment of their deaths. Today, the remains of these two towns are among the most famous ruins of the Roman world.
In this four-part HistoryExtra podcast series, launching on 11 January 2026, I am joined by Dr Jess Venner, historian of the ancient world, to explore what life was like in towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum prior to their destruction, what really happened on the fateful day Vesuvius erupted – with the help of an eyewitness – and how the buried city came to be an archeological marvel.
Below, I’ve selected some essential further reading, listening and viewing from our archives to broaden your knowledge of the cataclysm that buried Pompeii – including insights from Jess herself on how be a good neighbour, like a Pompeian; Sophie Hay on what Pompeii's streets can tell us about daily life, Hannah Platts on Roman houses, and Daisy Dunn on Pliny the Younger, the man who saw it all and lived to write it down.
Showing 1 to 10 of 10 results
-
PompeiiA timeline of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Pompeii was a bustling Roman city, home to thousands of people living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Nige Tassell charts the terrifying events of AD 79 that saw Pompeii, and nearby Herculaneum, transformed into an ash-covered hellscape of destruction and death
-
Your ultimate guide to Pompeii, plus 8 fascinating facts about the ancient Roman city
After the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, the ancient Roman city of Pompeii was lost for centuries. Today, it is one of the world's most famous – and fascinating – archaeological sites. Learn more about its history from two expert historians
-
How were Pompeii and Herculaneum discovered?
For nearly 1,700 years, the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum – consumed by volcanic ash in the AD 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius – remained buried. Today, the sites are archaeological marvels and attract millions of visitors every year. Jonathan Wright charts the story of their discovery and excavation
-
What can the streets of Pompeii reveal about daily life in ancient Rome?
The homes and public buildings that have been excavated from the volcanic ash that buried Pompeii all offer tantalising glimpses into the lives of the Romans living in the city before the terrible eruption of AD 79 – but so do the streets. With a new BBC TV series about Pompeii in the offing, Sophie Hay looks back 100 years to a dig that transformed our understanding of Roman daily life
-
What was life like in ancient Pompeii? Mary Beard shares an A-Z guide
Buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, and gradually disinterred from the middle of the 18th century, Pompeii is probably the world's most famous archaeological site. But what was life like for the Romans who lived there, pre-eruption? Not that different from our own, as Mary Beard reveals in her A to Z of the ancient town, complete with yob culture, nightlife and plonk...
-
Be neighbourly like a Pompeian. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
A communal toilet might be an unlikely place to seek life inspiration, but we can all learn from Roman community values, Dr Jess Venner tells Dr David Musgrove
-
Hannah Platts offers up a tour through the spaces that shaped daily life in the Roman world
-
Pliny the Younger's letters are a gold mine of detail on life in imperial Rome. Daisy Dunn reveals what this lawyer, senator and orator's writings can tell us about everything from religious dissent to tyrannical emperors
-
Unearthing Pompeii’s streets. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.
Sophie Hay travels back 100 years to the archaeological discovery of Pompeii
-
Guy de la Bédoyère reveals why the Roman empire simply couldn't have functioned without the labour (and the suffering) of its captive population
See more Beyond the podcast: Pompeii
Authors
Kev LochunDigital editor (audience and video)
Kev Lochun is digital editor (audience and video) at HistoryExtra
Ad
Ad
Ad
Loading...
Ad
Loading...