Last Supper in Pompeii

Last Supper in Pompeii looks at the traditions of Roman dining – including its political and religious role, and the ever-present link between feasting and death. Pompeii has always been one of our most valuable sources of information because of the sudden preservation in the midst of life. The catalogue covers where the Romans got their ideas from; the influence of Etruscans and Italics (who had themselves been influenced by the Greeks); the production and distribution of food around Pompeii; a look at the role of food and feasting in the Roman house; the arrival of the Romans in Britain, and the impact on dining there.

Contents: 1. Foreword; 2. Introduction; 3. Where did Roman ideas on food come from; 3.1 Etruscans; 3.2 Etruscans (Diet and archaeological evidence); 3.3 Italics – Paestum; 3.4 Fondo Ioszzino (Massimo Osanna); 3.5 Pompeii 5-4 century BC grave group; 4. Production; 4.1 Literary sources; 4.2 Archaeological evidence; 4.3 Villa B (Giuseppe Scarpati) pop-up: 750 words, 4 images; 5. House; 5.1 Atrium; 5.2 Garden – intro and sources; 5.3 Garden – general; 5.4 Garden – food of the gods; 5.5 Dining Room; 5.6 Bracciale d’Oro; 5.7 Kitchen; 5.8 Conservation project bronzes; 5.9 Latrine contents; 6. Britannia; 6.1 General; 6.2 Production and distribution; 6.3 Food, diet and archaeological evidence (Iron Age); 6.4 Food, diet and archaeological evidence (Roman Britain); 6.5 Dining; 6.6 Death; 7. Death and Pompeii; 7.1 General; 7.2 Resin Lady (context, discovery, possessions); 7.3 Resin lady (scientific analysis); 8. Index of Objects: Tombstone info and bibliography for all displayed objects.

Published to accompany ‘Last Supper in Pompeii’ the exhibition which runs from 25 July 2019 to 12 January 2020 at the Ashmolean, Oxford.