URBAN LANDSCAPE/PLANNING


Pompeii was a walled city with 8 gates and watch towers. It was a bustling city center. Roads were planned in a grid-like pattern, separating insulae. Each insulae contained 1-12 dwellings. There are wheel ruts still now which shows the town was a major commercial center.

Herculaneum was only 22 hectares and the streets were less filled with traffic as evident by the simple design. The infrastructure shows a level of complexity: with storm drains & an underground sewer.

Both towns had public toilets although private ones were available to the rich only. Both cities were built on a prehistoric lava flow. The streets themselves varied in width from 2.5-4.5m. They were made with lava rock. Pavement was raised 30cm as was stepping stones so that people could cross the road with out getting dirty or wet. Ingenuity however placed them far enough apart that carts could still travel.

decumanus: was used to denote streets that ran west to east

cardo: for streets running north to south

• Evidence of intense farming has been found everywhere – even small garden plots around the city walls
• Many small workshops have been found suggesting that the processing of agricultural products was also common
• Significant trading centre – (being a Port town) and a resort style area for wealthy Romans (good climate and magnificent sea views) – according to Strabo
• Herculaneum’s primary industry was fishing
• After the eruption, the area of Pompeii was always known as Civitas or The City


http://www.mariamilani.com/rome_maps/map_pompeii.jpg