A historic site, Pompeii is special because it offers evidence of everyday life in an ancient Roman city. The town, together with a few other communities, was destroyed by a violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. At the time of its destruction Pompeii had between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants.
Location
Pompeii was a village in the Campania region of southern Italy situated at the base of Mount Vesuvius. It was near the mouth of the Sarnus River, which is now called the Sarno River. Located about 14 miles (23 kilometers) southeast of Naples, Pompeii was built on a ridge formed by prehistoric lava flow.
History
People
Pompeii and a few nearby towns were probably first settled during ancient times by the inhabitants of Campania. Pompeii came under the influence of the Greeks in the 8th century BC. Various other nations took control of the region at different times until finally it became part of the Roman world in about 290 BC. Latin was established as the official language, and the town soon reflected the Roman influence in its society, art, and architecture. An earthquake in AD 62 greatly damaged Pompeii and neighboring areas.
Mount Vesuvius erupts
Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24, AD 79. A vivid eyewitness report is preserved in two letters written to a Roman historian. Just after midday on August 24, pieces of ash, volcanic glass, and rock began pouring down on Pompeii. The town was covered to a depth of more than 9 feet (3 meters). The roofs of many houses caved in. Waves of burning material and heated gas reached the town on the morning of August 25. Many residents escaped, but those who were still there could not breathe. Additional flows of melted lava and rains of ash followed, adding at least another 9 feet of rock pieces and preserving everything in a covering of ash. Pompeii remained buried under a layer of volcanic stones and ash 19 to 23 feet (6 to 7 meters) deep. This sudden burial served to protect it for the next 17 centuries from robbery and destruction by the effects of the climate.
Study of the ruins
Domenico Fontana, an Italian architect, discovered the ruins at Pompeii in the late 16th century. Archeological work, however, did not begin until 1748. In 1763 an inscription was found that identified the site as Pompeii. The work at this site in the mid-18th century marked the start of the modern science of archeology.
Early excavations, or digs, were often done without much planning and were frequently carried out by treasure seekers or other untrained workers. The Italian archeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli became director of the project in 1860. He brought order to the work. Areas lying between excavated sites were cleared and carefully documented. The work has been ongoing since then except for an interruption for World War II. By the 1990s, about two thirds of the city had been excavated.
Historians have been able to learn a great deal about Pompeii from the excavations. The city that was uncovered was remarkably well-preserved. Streets lined with stores and homes, as well as everyday items in those buildings remained as they were when the ash started falling.
European artists, architects, potters, and other craftsmen were greatly inspired by the artistic traditions discovered in Pompeii. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared Pompeii a World Heritage site in 1997.