POMPEII

It was nearly wiped out during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. What is left of this ancient city and will Vesuvius erupt again? Uncover the lost city of Pompeii.

1) Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy, is hundreds of thousands of years old. It has erupted more than 50 times. Its most famous eruption took place in the year 79 A.D. It buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii under a thick carpet of volcanic ash. Two thousand people died, and the city was abandoned for many years.

2) Life in Pompeii

Ever since the ancient Greeks settled in the area in the 8th century B.C., the region around Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples attracted wealthy vacationers. By the turn of the first century A.D., the town of Pompeii was a flourishing resort for Rome’s most distinguished citizens. They built elegant houses and villas in the street. They gathered in the 20,000-seat arena and lounged in the open-air squares and marketplaces. Then, Pompeii grew more crowded every year.

3) Rediscovering Pompeii

Pompeii remained mostly untouched until 1748, when a group of explorers looking for ancient artefacts began to dig the area. They were surprised to find that Pompeii was almost exactly as it had been 2,000 years before. Its buildings were intact. Skeletons were frozen right where they’d fallen. Everyday objects and household goods were on the streets.

Many scholars say that the excavation of Pompeii played an important role in the neo-classical revival of the 18th century. Europe’s wealthiest and most fashionable families displayed art and reproductions of objects from the ruins. The drawings of Pompeii’s buildings helped shape the architectural trends of the era.