Tom Hiddleston’s Pompeii Docuseries Finds Human Stories in Ancient Ruins

The New York Times reports on a new National Geographic docuseries in which actor Tom Hiddleston, described as an “amateur classicist” with a degree in classics from Cambridge, explores the ruins of Pompeii. The series aims to uncover “relatable human stories” within the ancient disaster of AD 79.

Hiddleston, best known for playing Loki in Marvel films, is shown walking through the excavated city, examining frescoes and the famous plaster casts of victims. According to the NYT, his enthusiasm for classical studies shapes the documentary’s approach, offering a guide who can speak with genuine authority about Roman history.

The docuseries places Hiddleston in a tradition of celebrity involvement with Italian cultural heritage, but with a difference: his academic training allows him to engage directly with archaeological material. The NYT article quotes him reflecting on the parallels between Pompeii’s sudden destruction and contemporary anxieties about disaster.