Mary Beard explores the different ways that archaeologists, novelists and filmmakers have chosen to reconstruct the ancient city, examining the assumptions that lie behind our attempts to rebuild (at least in our mind's eye) Pompeii. Mary Beard is Professor in Classics at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Newnham College. She is also Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement. Her books include The Roman Triumph and The Parthenon.