What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.
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Pompeii is a town on the Bay of Naples, that was buried in volcanic ash in 79 CE, freezing it in time until it was rediscovered much later and began to be exploited by tourism from the mid-18th century. In this short course we will explore Pompeii from many different angles, looking at its history, its people and its impact, also making some references to Herculaneum and other Vesuvian locales. You can expect to find out not just about its story and culture, but also about the buildings, art, graffiti and lasting legacy of Pompeii, as well as recommendations for where to look for more information (including the obvious, Pompeii itself!).
What will we cover?
The course will be divided over four 90-minute sessions.
In the first one we will look at Pompeii’s history, from its founding to its eruption, and then since its rediscovery.
Next, we will explore (or rather, discuss) many of the most important buildings in Pompeii, from its temples to its shops to its theatres to its brothels, looking at what we can learn from each one. In the third lesson we will take a close look at some of the artwork and graffiti that survive from Pompeii and Herculaneum, commenting on the significance of the mosaics and frescoes, and working through translation of some of the graffiti.
In the final session we will examine the enduring impact of Pompeii on our knowledge of ancient religion, ancient literacy, ancient myth and modern interest in the Classical world. The course will conclude with a brief survey of many different sorts of literature on Pompeii for those whose interest has been piqued, including historical overviews, novels, travel guides, art books and academic studies.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Talk about Pompeii as though you had been there, or go to Pompeii and be that annoying person in the group who knows more than the tour guide.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory course and requires no previous skills, though those with some knowledge of Latin will be more equipped to enjoy the part of one session on Pompeii’s graffiti.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
There will be four classes, in-person, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no other costs. It is advisable to bring a pen and paper to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details.
Jordan Dyck is a full-time ancient language enthusiast. He lectures philosophy at Staffordshire University and New Testament Greek at St. Augustine's College of Theology (Durham University). He also teaches Classical and Biblical Greek, Latin and Hebrew through his website and runs various reading groups, including one looking at LGBTQ-themed texts from throughout the Ancient Greek world. Jordan holds a BA (Wales) and MA (Durham) in Biblical Studies and Theology. His doctoral thesis for Staffordshire University (2017) is titled 'Finding Lacan: St Paul and the Paradox of Jouissance,' and uses continental philosophy and psychoanalysis to study the Bible. Over the past decade he has been increasingly interested in Classical languages, which now make up about half of his teaching. Other projects have included research into the experiences of LGBT African asylum seekers, and papers presented at academic conferences, mostly on St. Paul and philosophy. Though originally hailing from Canada, Jordan has lived in the UK since 2006, and is presently vice-chair of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Community Church of North London.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/pompeii-life-before-the-eruption3003664Pompeii: life before the eruptionhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpg6969GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations22851177119111921228511771191<p>What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.</p>003003652Pompeii: life before the eruption6969https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/ancient-civiliations-city-lit.jpgInStockEveningWedKeeley StreetNo longer available1 to 4 weeksWeekday2026-03-11T00:00:00+00:00BeginnersMar 2026Culture, history & humanitiesRC7746969Pompeii: life before the eruption556969Jordan Dyckpompeii-life-before-the-eruption/rc774-2526<p>What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.</p>0015-FullStillOpen|2026-03-11 00:00:00<p>Pompeii is a town on the Bay of Naples, that was buried in volcanic ash in 79 CE, freezing it in time until it was rediscovered much later and began to be exploited by tourism from the mid-18th century. In this short course we will explore Pompeii from many different angles, looking at its history, its people and its impact, also making some references to Herculaneum and other Vesuvian locales. You can expect to find out not just about its story and culture, but also about the buildings, art, graffiti and lasting legacy of Pompeii, as well as recommendations for where to look for more information (including the obvious, Pompeii itself!).</p><p>What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.</p><p>The course will be divided over four 90-minute sessions.</p><p>In the first one we will look at Pompeii’s history, from its founding to its eruption, and then since its rediscovery.</p><p>Next, we will explore (or rather, discuss) many of the most important buildings in Pompeii, from its temples to its shops to its theatres to its brothels, looking at what we can learn from each one. In the third lesson we will take a close look at some of the artwork and graffiti that survive from Pompeii and Herculaneum, commenting on the significance of the mosaics and frescoes, and working through translation of some of the graffiti.</p><p>In the final session we will examine the enduring impact of Pompeii on our knowledge of ancient religion, ancient literacy, ancient myth and modern interest in the Classical world. The course will conclude with a brief survey of many different sorts of literature on Pompeii for those whose interest has been piqued, including historical overviews, novels, travel guides, art books and academic studies.</p><p>Talk about Pompeii as though you had been there, or go to Pompeii and be that annoying person in the group who knows more than the tour guide.</p><p>This is an introductory course and requires no previous skills, though those with some knowledge of Latin will be more equipped to enjoy the part of one session on Pompeii’s graffiti. </p><p>There will be four classes, in-person, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.</p><p>There are no other costs. It is advisable to bring a pen and paper to take notes.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details. </p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsvirtual556969RC774NONEWed11/03/26 - 01/04/2618:00 - 19:3018:0019:304 sessions (over 4 weeks)41 to 4 weeksEveningWeekdayKSKeeley StreetJordan DyckBeginnersNo longer available2026-03-11T00:00:00+00:00Mar 2026Culture, history & humanities6969Pompeii: life before the eruptionpompeii-life-before-the-eruption/rc774-2526<p>What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.</p>0015-FullStillOpen|2026-03-11 00:00:00<p>Pompeii is a town on the Bay of Naples, that was buried in volcanic ash in 79 CE, freezing it in time until it was rediscovered much later and began to be exploited by tourism from the mid-18th century. In this short course we will explore Pompeii from many different angles, looking at its history, its people and its impact, also making some references to Herculaneum and other Vesuvian locales. You can expect to find out not just about its story and culture, but also about the buildings, art, graffiti and lasting legacy of Pompeii, as well as recommendations for where to look for more information (including the obvious, Pompeii itself!).</p><p>What was life like in Pompeii before the eruption? And what else can Pompeii teach us about the ancient world? Join Dr. Jordan Dyck in a tour of ancient Pompeii, its people, its art and its impact.</p><p>The course will be divided over four 90-minute sessions.</p><p>In the first one we will look at Pompeii’s history, from its founding to its eruption, and then since its rediscovery.</p><p>Next, we will explore (or rather, discuss) many of the most important buildings in Pompeii, from its temples to its shops to its theatres to its brothels, looking at what we can learn from each one. In the third lesson we will take a close look at some of the artwork and graffiti that survive from Pompeii and Herculaneum, commenting on the significance of the mosaics and frescoes, and working through translation of some of the graffiti.</p><p>In the final session we will examine the enduring impact of Pompeii on our knowledge of ancient religion, ancient literacy, ancient myth and modern interest in the Classical world. The course will conclude with a brief survey of many different sorts of literature on Pompeii for those whose interest has been piqued, including historical overviews, novels, travel guides, art books and academic studies.</p><p>Talk about Pompeii as though you had been there, or go to Pompeii and be that annoying person in the group who knows more than the tour guide.</p><p>This is an introductory course and requires no previous skills, though those with some knowledge of Latin will be more equipped to enjoy the part of one session on Pompeii’s graffiti. </p><p>There will be four classes, in-person, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.</p><p>There are no other costs. It is advisable to bring a pen and paper to take notes.</p><p>Any other ancient languages or civilisation class. See website for details. </p>Ancient civilisationsAncient civilisationsconfigurable
11921191Ancient civilisationshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/ancient-civilisations/ancient-civilisations-11/2/285/1177/1191/11921/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Ancient civilisations/Ancient civilisations
