This course analyzes the cultural development of Pompeii and adjacent sites buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. The aim is to understand the architectural layout and material culture of the cities, their development over time, as well as understand how social norms, politics and cultural influences shaped the appearance and the built environment in the seven hundred years that Pompeii existed prior to its destruction. Through the lens of the surviving art, architecture, and material culture students will learn about everyday life in ancient Pompeii and how different social classes interacted in the city.