Pompeii before the blast

Pompeii's lurid fate, together with the excavations that hinted at the way it was before Vesuvius blew, have long intrigued. But as acclaimed British historian Mary Beard observes in her informative "The Fires of Vesuvius," "simultaneously we know a huge amount and very little about ancient life there."

Examining what she calls this "Pompeii paradox," Beard, in such separate chapters as "House and Home," "Earning a Living: Baker, Banker and Garum maker" and "A City Full of Gods," persuasively demonstrates how wishful thinking, ignorance and myth have created this confusion.

She notes, too, how Pompeii was in a state of disrepair before Vesuvius erupted in 79. An earlier eruption in 62 had caused considerable damage, much of which had not been repaired.

It is not known how close the city was to the sea, or indeed the eruption's actual dates -- the historian Pliny suggested August, but current thinking, based on autumnal fruit fragments and victims wearing heavy clothing, places the eruption in fall or winter.

Additionally, the damage caused by looters, destructive archaeologists, the 1943 Allied bombing and mass tourism have further degraded the site.

As Beard examines the city, she comments on the new geography that gives names to streets, probably then known instead by landmarks -- "Euxinius (Mr. Hospitality), the innkeeper near the Amphitheater." She also demonstrates how cosmopolitan Pompeii was for its size: Some citizens were familiar with the Book of Genesis, (a quote was found painted on a wall); others bought Kosher garum (the label was intact), a popular local fish sauce; some kept exotic pets (a monkey's skeleton was found).

Myth-busting exercises can be tendentious, but Beard is a goodhumored revisionist who delights in gently informing. Only the most wealthy citizens, she observes, could, while reclining on couches, daily dine in elaborately decorated triclinia (dining rooms). Most Pompeiians ate on the run or wherever was convenient, an ancient form of fast food. Ordinary citizens lived in single rooms or rented apartments, not in grand villas. The number of bars -- once estimated to be 200 -- is wrong. Many were probably small grocery stores.

Pompeii may still confuse and challenge, but Beard's informative reappraisal vividly evokes the way it was. And travelers will welcome her practical advice on making a visit -- "Don't spend too much time getting hot in the forum."

Judith Chettle is a Richmond-based book reviewer and writer.