Women in Classics: Jess Venner on Pompeii

We know how the people of Pompeii died, but how did they live?

Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, Jess Venner brings the ancient streets to life through the eyes of those who lived, worked, loved and ultimately met their fate in Pompeii.

In her new book, we meet a successful female entrepreneur defying Roman convention, a slave grappling with his future after gaining his freedom, and a politician who cements his power and prestige by hosting the Plebian Games at the amphitheatre... Venner traces stories of a community more complex, diverse and human than we ever imagined.

The Lost Voices of Pompeii recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption, reminding us exactly what and who was lost in 79 AD.

Venner will be discussing this book with Nicola Tallis.

Dr Jess Venner is an award-winning ancient historian and archaeologist, recipient of the prestigious Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (University of Oxford) and the Rome Award and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, amongst other academic posts. An academic at the Institute of Classical Studies in London and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she is passionate about making ancient history accessible through her TikTok. She is a consultant for and features on the BBC documentary Pompeii: The New Dig, and has appeared in publications such as The Times.

Dr Nicola Tallis is a historian and researcher of Tudor England. She is the author of Young Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s Rival, Crown of Blood and Uncrowned Queen. Tallis writes for BBC History and History Revealed. She has worked with Historic Royal Palaces and the National Trust.