Scholars imagine themselves as citizens of Pompeii in 79 AD. First they are assigned a job (or place in society like a child or slave). Then they record their daily activities for the weeks leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in their journals. Participating in the role-play, they accurately portray an identity, give realistic descriptions of time and place, and present insights about life in Pompeii prior to the volcano's eruption.