Jess Venner for The Lost Voices of Pompeii

Acclaimed historian Jess Venner joins us this May to relive the dramatic last day in Pompeii in this immersive book, based on seven of the city's real residents.We hope to see you there._WE ALL KNOW HOW THE PEOPLE OF POMPEII DIED.__BUT WHAT ABOUT HOW THEY LIVED?__Drawing on the latest archaeological discoveries, Dr Jess Venner brings the ancient streets to life through the eyes of those who lived, worked, loved and ultimately met their fate in Pompeii.__Along the way, Venner reveals a community more complex, diverse and human than we ever imagined.

We meet Julia Felix, a successful female entrepreneur defying Roman convention; Petronus, a slave grappling with his future after gaining his freedom; politician Gaius Cuspius Pansa, who cements his power and prestige by hosting the Plebian Games at the amphitheatre; and many others.__Pompeii is remembered for its destruction, but here we discover the vibrant lives that came before.

Richly evocative and immersive, The Lost Voices of Pompeii vividly recreates the final twenty-four hours before the eruption, reminding us exactly what - and who - was lost in 79 AD._DR JESS VENNER is an award-winning ancient historian and archaeologist.

An academic at the Institute of Classical Studies in London and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she is also passionate about making ancient history accessible through her TikTok @lifeinthepastlane_.

She is a consultant for and features on the BBC documentary _Pompeii: The New Dig_, and has appeared in publications such as _The Times_, _The Mirror_, _The Daily Star_ and _Ancient History Magazine_.