January 12, 2024
Pompeii Excavations Turn Up Prison Bakery Run by Enslaved Labor
Pompeii—the Roman-era village preserved under layers of ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius—has long fascinated historians. Discovered in the 18th century, excavations have been ongoing since 1748. After centuries, much still remains to be discovered and documented. Recently, during excavations of a villa, a disturbing structure emerged in the dig. The archeologists announced they found a prison-bakery, where enslaved people were forced to work alongside donkeys in brutal conditions to grind flour for bread.
