Modern DNA analysis is rewriting the history of Pompeii, revealing unexpected truths about the lives and identities of the ancient victims buried under ash from Mount Vesuvius's eruption in A.D. 79. Long-held assumptions about the relationships and sexes of those preserved in the Roman town have been debunked by researchers, offering new insights into their lives, cultural norms, and the Roman world's complex social fabric.
Researchers from Italy's University of Florence and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany analyzed genetic material from 14 casts undergoing restoration. Their findings, published in the journal Current Biology, contradict earlier narratives based on plaster reconstructions of bodies found at Pompeii. The study highlights the dangers of projecting modern gender and family assumptions onto ancient societies, noted David Reich, a Harvard geneticist and co-author of the study.
Among the most surprising revelations is that a figure long thought to be a mother holding a child was, in fact, a man unrelated to the child. Similarly, another set of bodies once believed to be sisters or a mother and daughter turned out to be an adult male and another individual of undetermined sex. "The genetic results encourage reflection on the dangers of making up stories about gender and family relationships in past societies based on present-day expectations," Reich stated.
Pompeii, a wealthy seaside resort favored by Rome's elite, became a tomb for thousands when Mount Vesuvius erupted. The catastrophic eruption lasted over 24 hours, burying the town under a thick layer of ash and pumice. Archaeologists rediscovered the city nearly 1,700 years later and used innovative techniques in the 19th century to create plaster casts of victims by filling voids left by decomposed bodies.
The research underscores the cosmopolitan character of Pompeii's residents. Genetic data show many of the victims traced their ancestry to the eastern Mediterranean, reflecting the region's vibrant cultural and ethnic diversity during the height of the Roman Empire. "Pompeii was a cosmopolitan city full of people with diverse backgrounds," said Alissa Mittnik, a coauthor from the Max Planck Institute.
The detailed study examined remains from several notable sites, including the House of the Golden Bracelet, where an adult wearing a bracelet was initially believed to be the mother of a child found at their side. DNA analysis revealed the adult to be a male, not biologically related to the child, challenging modern assumptions about gender roles and familial bonds in ancient Rome. "We expect a woman to be comforting and maternal," noted Steven Tuck, a professor of history and classics at Miami University. "This is a reminder that our expectations do not always align with historical realities."
The findings also shed light on broader aspects of Roman life, including the role of enslavement, manumission, and adoption in shaping families. "The ethnic makeup of the deceased with so many markers from the eastern Mediterranean reminds us to be aware of the common Roman practice of enslavement and regular manumission of foreigners," Tuck explained.
While many casts reflect dramatic last moments-individuals clutching one another or appearing to protect children-these narratives have often been shaped by modern romanticized interpretations. Caitie Barrett, a classics professor at Cornell University, noted, "Whatever their relationship was, this is someone who died trying to protect the child, and who provided that child with their last moments of human comfort."
Additional findings from the House of the Cryptoporticus and the Villa of the Mysteries further challenge established beliefs. In one instance, two individuals thought to be women in a protective embrace were revealed to be a male and a young person of unknown sex. The Villa of the Mysteries, a luxurious estate known for its frescoes depicting Bacchic rites, contained remains of individuals who died at different stages of the eruption, reflecting both the initial chaos and the prolonged disaster.
The DNA study highlights Pompeii's rich multicultural legacy and challenges Eurocentric notions of classical antiquity. "It helps to topple the European 'ownership' of the so-called 'Classical world,'" said Michael Anderson, a professor of classical archaeology at San Francisco State University. "Much of the modern interest in Pompeii has been driven by a desire to explore dramatic stories of death and destruction... It is fantastic to see these old misconceptions definitively unraveled."
