Rome Against Pompeii

Rome’s arrogance towards its allies, even the most loyal, grew year by year.

Pompeii and many other Italic towns decided to rebel. In 89 BC, the second year of the Guerra Social War, the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla ordered a siege of the city.

Pompeii was well defended but the Roman army was unstoppable.

A herald issues orders in Oscan, the language of Samnite Pompeii:

“Essuk amvianu eetuns anter tiurri dudekma ini veru Sarinu puf faamat Maras Aadiriis Vibiees”

“Over here, hurry this way, those who will defend the walls between the twelfth gate and salt gate. You will follow the orders of Mareus Atrius, son of Vibius.”

The signs left by the Roman enemy’s catapult shots can still be seen on the walls.

After the siege of Pompeii, the Romans founded  their own colony there in 80 BC, peopled with army veterans. There were 2,500 new householders in the city.

The great Samnite landed estates were expropriated and new owners took their places in urban homes.

One memorable example is found at the entrance to a small farm in the Boscoreale area. Two large tuff statues were placed as guardians, of which one is now on display in the Antiquarium. They dated back to at least a century earlier and were part of the monumental tombs of the Samnite owners, whose memory the Romans erased.

War is war! The new Roman ruling class had arrived!