Pompeii, Its Life and Art by August Mau

(6 User reviews)   4159
By Rebecca King Posted on Dec 22, 2025
In Category - Faith & Religion
Mau, August, 1840-1909 Mau, August, 1840-1909
English
Ever wondered what daily life was really like in an ancient Roman city? Forget the dusty ruins – this book brings Pompeii back to life in incredible detail. August Mau doesn't just show you the ash-covered streets; he shows you the bakeries, the taverns, the graffiti on the walls, and the art in people's homes. It's like a time machine. The central 'mystery' isn't about the eruption itself, but about piecing together the vibrant, noisy, messy human world that existed right up until the moment it was frozen. It makes you feel like you're walking those streets, hearing the chatter, and seeing the city at its peak. A total revelation for anyone curious about real history.
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been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and spaced text by =equal signs=. In the ads, an = sign denotes bold text. On page 431, 1854 should possibly be 1845. On page 533, the page number referenced is missing on the first Chapter XXXV citation. On page 544, the pages listed as pp 226-223 are possibly a typo. [=HS] represents the characters HS with a bar over the top. [*] represents the Roman Denarius sign: 𐆖. [E] represents the Roman symbol for 2 oz., two stacked "c"s. ∞ represents the Roman numeral 1000, usually represented as ↀ. \B and \F represent VB and VF ligatures. In Figure 54 and the subsequent text, letters indicated by ~A~ represent small capital letters. POMPEII ITS LIFE AND ART [Illustration: PLATE I.--VIEW OF THE FORUM, LOOKING TOWARD VESUVIUS] POMPEII ITS LIFE AND ART BY AUGUST MAU GERMAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE IN ROME Translated into English BY FRANCIS W. KELSEY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN _WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS_ NEW EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD. 1902 _All rights reserved_ COPYRIGHT, 1899, 1902, BY FRANCIS W. KELSEY. First Edition, October, 1899. New Revised Edition, with additions, November, 1902. Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Norwood Mass. U.S.A. PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION For twenty-five years Professor Mau has devoted himself to the study of Pompeii, spending his summers among the ruins and his winters in Rome, working up the new material. He holds a unique place among the scholars who have given attention to Pompeian antiquities, and his contributions to the literature of the subject have been numerous in both German and Italian. The present volume, however, is not a translation of one previously issued, but a new work first published in English, the liberality of the publishers having made it possible to secure assistance for the preparation of certain restorations and other drawings which Professor Mau desired to have made as illustrating his interpretation of the ruins. In one respect there is an essential difference between the remains of Pompeii and those of the large and famous cities of antiquity, as Rome or Athens, which have associated with them the familiar names of historical characters. Mars' Hill is clothed with human interest, if for no other reason, because of its relation to the work of the Apostle Paul; while the Roman Forum and the Palatine, barren as they seem to-day, teem with life as there rise before the mind's eye the scenes presented in the pages of classical writers. But the Campanian city played an unimportant part in contemporary history; the name of not a single great Pompeian is recorded. The ruins, deprived of the interest arising from historical associations, must be interpreted with little help from literary sources, and repeopled with aggregate rather than individual life. A few Pompeians, whose features have survived in herms or statues and whose names are known from the inscriptions, seem near to us,--such are Caecilius Jucundus and the generous priestess Eumachia; but the characters most commonly associated with the city are those of fiction. Here, in a greater degree than in most places, the work of reconstruction involves the handling of countless bits of evidence, which, when viewed by themselves, often seem too minute to be of importance; the blending of these into a complete and faithful picture is a task of infinite painstaking, the difficulty of which will best be appreciated by one who has worked in this field. It was at first proposed to place at...

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This isn't a novel or a dramatic retelling of the eruption. Instead, August Mau acts as the ultimate guide, walking you through the rediscovered city and explaining what everything meant. He breaks down the different styles of wall paintings, reads the political slogans scratched into plaster, and shows how shops, homes, and public baths were laid out and used. The 'plot' is the process of archaeological discovery and interpretation, revealing the complete picture of a living community from its physical remains.

Why You Should Read It

What blew me away was how human it all feels. Mau connects artifacts to everyday life. A carbonized loaf of bread isn't just a relic; it's evidence of someone's breakfast. A painted sign for a tavern tells us where people gathered. This book strips away the 'ancient' label and shows you a city of people with jobs, businesses, bad art tastes, and political opinions. It makes history tangible and surprisingly familiar.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs who want to go beyond dates and battles, and for any traveler planning a trip to Pompeii (it will triple your appreciation). It's also great for anyone who loves detective stories, as Mau is constantly solving the puzzle of what each object and space was for. Be warned: it's a detailed, older academic work, so it's dense in places, but the insights are worth every page. You'll never look at a ruin the same way again.



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Ethan Davis
1 year ago

I started reading out of curiosity and it creates a vivid world that you simply do not want to leave. I will read more from this author.

Mary Jackson
1 year ago

Surprisingly enough, the character development leaves a lasting impact. Absolutely essential reading.

Mary Moore
1 year ago

The formatting on this digital edition is flawless.

John Martinez
1 year ago

Honestly, the storytelling feels authentic and emotionally grounded. One of the best books I've read this year.

Elijah Davis
1 year ago

The layout is very easy on the eyes.

4.5
4.5 out of 5 (6 User reviews )

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