Pompeii Ancient Rome and wine

a fresco depicting mercury (god of commerce) , bacchus (god of wine) in pompeii, in hot-food establishment (thermopolium) served city prior destruction.

one of important wine centres of roman world city of pompeii, located south of naples. area home vast expanse of vineyards, serving important trading city roman provinces abroad , principal source of wine city of rome.

the pompeians developed widespread reputation wine-drinking capacity. prevalent worship of bacchus, god of wine, left depictions of god on frescoes , archaeological fragments throughout region. amphoras stamped emblems of pompeian merchants have been found across modern-day remnants of roman empire, including bordeaux, narbonne, toulouse , spain. evidence in form of counterfeit stamps on amphoras of non-pompeian wine suggests popularity , notoriety may have given rise wine fraud.

the 79 ad eruption of mount vesuvius had devastating effect on roman wine industry. vineyards across region , warehouses storing recent 78 ad vintage decimated, resulting in dramatic shortage of wine. damage trading port hindered flow of wine rome s outlying provinces, aggravating scarcity. available wine rose sharply in price, making unaffordable affluent. wine famine caused panicking romans hurriedly plant vineyards in areas near rome, such extent grain fields uprooted in favor of grapevines.

the subsequent wine surplus created successful efforts relieve wine shortage caused depression in price, hurting commercial entrance of wine producers , traders. uprooting of grain fields contributed food shortage growing roman population. in 92 ad, roman emperor domitian issued edict not banned new vineyards in rome ordered uprooting of half of vineyards in roman provinces.

although there evidence suggest edict largely ignored in roman provinces, wine historians have debated effect of edict on infant wine industries of spain , gaul. intent of edict fewer vineyards result in enough wine domestic consumption, sparse amount trade. while vineyards established in these growing wine regions, ignoring of trade considerations may have suppressed spread of viticulture , winemaking in these areas. domitian s edict remained in effect 2 centuries until emperor probus repealed measure in 280 ad.