Pompeii was buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and preserved beneath volcanic material.
The eruption began on 24 August according to the traditional reading of Pliny the Younger’s account, although some evidence suggests the main event may have occurred later in the year. Ash, pumice, and hot volcanic flows covered Pompeii and nearby settlements, preserving buildings, objects, wall paintings, and casts of some victims.
Pompeii was a prosperous Roman town near the Bay of Naples. Excavations have revealed homes, shops, public baths, temples, an amphitheater, political notices, and everyday tools. These remains provide unusually detailed evidence about ordinary Roman urban life.
The eruption also buried Herculaneum, which was closer to Vesuvius and preserved in different volcanic deposits. Pompeii was gradually rediscovered through early excavations in the eighteenth century and is now one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites. Vesuvius remains an active volcano.