Dr Gillian Shepherd (Director of the A.D. Trendall Centre for Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Lecturer at La Trobe University) speaks to Matt Smith about many of the fascinating details in everyday Pompeii.

Pompeii was both devastated and preserved by a dramatic volcanic eruption in 79 CE, and its fame rests on the extensive remains of the ancient town which continues to attract huge numbers of visitors. But Pompeii was not a major city with the impressive public monuments found at Rome; rather its interest lies in what it can tell us about the ordinary lives of its citizens: how did they get around their city? How did they get their water? What and whether did they eat? And what kinds of entertainment filled up their spare time?

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