Best Books About Pompeii

by Sharon E. Cathcart
|
6 books
When I was researching my own book about Pompeii, I was not only fortunate enough to visit the site but also used some amazing secondary sources. You’ll see them below.
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General Knowledge

Pompeii and Herculaneum

In the Shadow of Vesuvius
Elio Abatini, 2015
When you’re not too familiar with a subject, sometimes books aimed at children are a good place to start. The primary reason I love this book, which is aimed at the middle school and up crowd, is its overlays showing what ruins would have looked like during the time that Pompeii was thriving.

Pompeii

The Life of a Roman Town
Mary Beard, 2010
There really is no greater authority on the ancient Roman world than Mary Beard. Her books are just as personable and fascinating as she is, and bring you right into the world she’s teaching about.

Invisible Romans

Prostitutes, Outlaws, Slaves, Gladiators, Ordinary Men and Women -- the Romans that History Forgot
Robert C. Knapp, 2011
Much is written about the good and the great when it comes to the ancient Roman world, but not so much about the common people. This book delves into the world of slaves, brothels, outlaws, gladiators and more. It was invaluable to understanding life in a port city like Pompeii.
Food and Foodways

Around the Roman Table

Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome
Patrick Faas, 2005
This book contained numerous commonly used recipes from the entirety of the Roman era, across time and locales, redacted for modern cooks. Discovering that yes, in fact, people in ancient times understood flavor and presentation brings them closer to us.

Cooking Apicius

Roman Recipes for Today
Sally Grainger, 2006
The oldest known cookery book was written by Apicius. This book redacts his recipes for modern cooks, and explains why these recipes were historically important.

The British Museum Cookbook

Michelle Berriedale-Johnson, 1995
I bought this book many years before I ever visited Italy, but the recipes already fascinated me. This is an excellent overview of foods from the ancient world.