My thanks go to colleagues who have helped in one way or another with the processing of this book: Greg Barnhill (who compiled the indexes), Susan Benton, John Genter, David Goh, Rodney Kilgore, Samuel Otwell, and Stephanie Peek (who introduced me to the phrase “in stone and story”). I am appreciative to students at Baylor University and Regent College from whom I have learned much in our courses on early Christianity in the Greco-Roman world. Melisa Blok at Baker Academic has been the best editor I have ever worked with, and I am very grateful to her for making the production process so enjoyable. I also thank Fiona Bond, Callum Longenecker, and Torrin Longenecker for their persistent patience regarding my fascination with the matters contained in this book.
This study was supported in part by funds from the University Research Committee and the Vice Provost for Research at Baylor University, by the Department of Religion at Baylor University, and by the funders of the W. W. Melton Chair of Religion at Baylor University.
Unless otherwise stated, the photos in this book were taken by Bruce Longenecker and are used here with the permission of The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities and Tourism—Special Superintendency for Archaeological Heritage of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. The reproduction of images of realia from the Vesuvian towns contained in this book is prohibited by the Superintendency for Archaeological Heritage of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. The other graphics in this book were created by Bruce Longenecker, except the ones listed below.
Most quotations of the Bible in this book derive from the New Revised Standard Version, although sometimes I have tweaked the translation to do better justice to the original Greek in relation to the point being discussed. Whenever another translation is used, it is cited.
Quotations of Greco-Roman literature in this book are usually from standard editions in the Loeb Classical Library, although I have sometimes adjusted the translation slightly to better capture the point. Quotations from Lucretius derive from Ronald Melville’s On the Nature of Things (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009). Quotations from Musonius Rufus derive from Cynthia King and William Irvine, Musonius Rufus: Lectures and Sayings (Scotts Valley, CA: CreateSpace, 2011). The quotation from OGIS in chapter 6 is from Barbara Levick, The Government of the Roman Empire: A Sourcebook, 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2000), 141.
In general, translations of Vesuvian graffiti and inscriptions are indebted to Alison E. Cooley and M. G. L. Cooley, Pompeii and Herculaneum: A Sourcebook (New York: Routledge, 2013), although with slight adjustments as deemed necessary. The translation of the graffito describing Pompeians as “bleating sheep” (see chapter 10) for having elected Proculus derives from Erich Lessing and Antonio Varone, Pompeii (Paris: Éditions Pierre Terrail, 1995), 184, where the CIL number is not listed.
The following graphics have been sourced or adjusted as follows:
Intro.2. This photo was taken by Massimo Finizio, in the public domain, available at Wikimedia Commons, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Vesuvius_from_Naples_at_sunset.jpg.
1.10. Il Vesuvio visto dagli scavi di Pompei was painted by Giuseppe Laezza (1835–1905); in the public domain, available at Wikimedia Commons, http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6738/96386024.2a0/0_fce8d_bf86e6a0_XXL.jpg.
3.2. The First Discovery of the Temple of Isis at Pompeii was painted by William Hamilton (1757–1804); in the public domain, available at Wikimedia Commons, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/The_first_discovery_of_the_Temple_of_Isis_at_Pompeii_Wellcome_L0050597.jpg.
3.6. This photo was taken by Giorgio Sommer in 1865; in the public domain, available at Wikimedia Commons, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/1865_Sommer_Pompeij_anagoria.JPG.
9.8. This drawing is from F. Piranesi, Antiquites de la Grande-Grece: Tome 2 (Paris: Piranesi & Le Blanc, 1804), plate 69 (in the public domain).
12.1. These drawings are from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 7 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1765), 245 (in the public domain).
12.3. These drawings are from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 3 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1767), 213 and 227, respectively (in the public domain).
12.5. This drawing is from O. A. Baiardi, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 2 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1760), 7 (in the public domain).
12.6. This drawing is from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 4 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1765), 305 (in the public domain).
13.3. This drawing is from Francois Mazois, Les Ruines de Pompei, vol. 1 (Paris: Didot Frères, 1824), plate 30 (in the public domain).
14.9. This drawing is from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 5 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1757), 41 (in the public domain).
16.9. This drawing is from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 7 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1779), 237 (in the public domain).
17.3. Using Photoshop, I superimposed the collage of the Capitoline deities and the household lares onto the shrine of the House of the Golden Cupids.
19.7. The figure of the tomb triclinium is from Francois Mazois, Les Ruines de Pompei, vol. 1 (Paris: Didot Frères, 1824), plate 20.3 (in the public domain).
Concl.2. This drawing is from P. Carcani, ed., Delle antichità di Ercolano, vol. 3 (Naples: Regia Stamperia, 1767), 227 (in the public domain).