The finding aligns with the harrowing accounts of second-century AD writer Apuleius, whose Metamorphoses IX 11-13 describes the backbreaking labour endured by men, women, and animals in ancient mills and bakeries.
The finding aligns with the harrowing accounts of second-century AD writer Apuleius, whose Metamorphoses IX 11-13 describes the backbreaking labour endured by men, women, and animals in ancient mills and bakeries.
Archaeologists working on the ongoing excavations in Region IX, Insula 10, near the slopes of the ancient city of Pompeii, have uncovered a disturbing site - a bakery-prison where enslaved workers and blind-folded donkeys were confined and exploited to produce bread.
However, the discovery of three victims in one of the bakery’s rooms in recent months suggests that the property still housed individuals at the time of the eruption.
He adds: “It is the most shocking side of ancient slavery, the one devoid of both trusting relationships and promises of manumission, where we were reduced to brute violence, an impression that is entirely confirmed by the securing of the few windows with iron bars.”
Adjacent to the stable, the milling area displayed semicircular indentations in volcanic basalt paving slabs, possibly deliberate carvings to coordinate the movement of the animals and to prevent them from slipping and forming a “circular furrow,” as described by second-century AD writer Apuleius.
The exhibition sheds light on the forgotten individuals, such as slaves, who, though often overlooked by historical sources, constituted the majority of the population, significantly contributing to the economy, culture, and social fabric of Roman civilisation.
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The finding aligns with the harrowing accounts of second-century AD writer Apuleius, whose Metamorphoses IX 11-13 describes the backbreaking labour endured by men, women, and animals in ancient mills and bakeries.
Archaeologists working on the ongoing excavations in Region IX, Insula 10, near the slopes of the ancient city of Pompeii, have uncovered a disturbing site - a bakery-prison where enslaved workers and blind-folded donkeys were confined and exploited to produce bread.
However, the discovery of three victims in one of the bakery’s rooms in recent months suggests that the property still housed individuals at the time of the eruption.
He adds: “It is the most shocking side of ancient slavery, the one devoid of both trusting relationships and promises of manumission, where we were reduced to brute violence, an impression that is entirely confirmed by the securing of the few windows with iron bars.”
Adjacent to the stable, the milling area displayed semicircular indentations in volcanic basalt paving slabs, possibly deliberate carvings to coordinate the movement of the animals and to prevent them from slipping and forming a “circular furrow,” as described by second-century AD writer Apuleius.
The exhibition sheds light on the forgotten individuals, such as slaves, who, though often overlooked by historical sources, constituted the majority of the population, significantly contributing to the economy, culture, and social fabric of Roman civilisation.
The original article contains 410 words, the summary contains 218 words. Saved 47%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!