"Pompeii's Ancient Prison Reveals Hidden Bakery"
Archaeologists excavating the ruins of Pompeii have discovered an ancient prison bakery where enslaved workers and donkeys were confined and exploited to grind grain for bread. The cramped room, part of a home buried in ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., sheds light on the harsh living conditions of enslaved people and animals. Markings on the bakery's floor indicate the presence of enslaved workers and blindfolded animals used to keep the millstone moving. This recent find adds to the growing understanding of the brutal realities of ancient slavery.