Classics professor Massimo Betello, in collaboration with student research assistants Mencía Casas Neo, Emma So, Adele Pandolfo, and Sebastian Terrazas, will present a research project on advertising in ancient Pompeii in Athens, Greece at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) in August.
The EAA Annual Meeting, one of Europe’s most important archaeological conferences, brings together practitioners from different countries to discuss emerging research, issues related to heritage management, and the latest results of fieldwork.
The project, called “Advertising in Ancient Pompeii: Visual Marketing in Food and Drink Outlets,” focuses on shops selling ready-to-eat food, known in Latin as popinae. These ancient fast-food stands targeted pedestrians by placing their service counters along sidewalks in order to maximize access and visibility. Their high frequency within the urban fabric suggests strong competition. By examining the decorations and images displayed on shop frontages, the project investigates whether these elements functioned as early forms of advertisement. The results indicate deliberate visual strategies designed to attract passersby and increase profit, while also revealing some notable absences of external decoration in street sections with particularly high levels of foot traffic.
The research originated from Professor Betello’s new course on ancient Pompeii, “Pompeii: Living, Thriving, and Dying in a Roman Town”, first offered during Spring 2025 and to be offered again in Spring 2027. JCU student Mencía Casas Neo (double majoring in Classical Studies and Art History) has been a Research Assistant for Professor Betello for two semesters: “It is such an honor and privilege to be accepted to present at the 32nd meeting of the European Association of Archaeology. It fills me with pride to see that the research for the final paper on Professor Betello’s course is going such a long way. We began developing this idea into a structured research project when we submitted it to the 4th Frank J. Guarini School of Business Research Workshop in June 2025. During the subsequent research phase, after our project was selected for presentation, we became aware of the significant amount of unexplored material on the topic and of the project’s potential to contribute to broader discussions of the ancient Pompeian economy and society. I am very excited for the chance to keep working on it, and to see that it sparked interest at an international level at such an important institution as the EAA. I am truly thankful to Professor Betello for seeing the potential in my ideas and for trusting us with this process. I can’t wait to keep seeing our project grow!”
Professor Betello’s research primarily focuses on the study of pedestrian traffic in Pompeii and in the ancient Roman world. One of his areas of interest is the influence of urban walkers on the establishment and location of retail activities.
