Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient city that was buried by Mount Vesuvius. It is currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The preserved site features excavated ruins of streets and buildings.

On 24 October 79 AD, a volcano called  Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the city and its people, killing 2,000 of them. 
Pompeii is one of the world's most important historical sites because of the way the volcanic ash preserved the city and its people. This gives historians and archaeologists a vivid picture of life in the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists have found graffiti written by the people who lived in the town. People often wrote on walls, and archaeologists have been able to read some of what they wrote. 

 History 
The town was started around the year 600 BC. It was started by a group from central Italy, the Osci. They chose to start it in this location because it was already an essential location for trade by both land and sea. By the 5th century BC, Pompeii had become part of Rome. While under Roman control, Pompeii improved a lot. The Romans built Aqueducts, and these were used to provide the citizens with water.

Before the eruption, Pompeii was a beautiful and wealthy city. At the time of the eruption, the town may have had about 11,000 people living there. It was in an area where Romans had holiday villas. Modern professor William Abbott said, "At the time of the eruption, Pompeii had reached its high point in society as many Romans frequently visited Pompeii on vacations."

 Witnesses 
Pliny The Younger was a witness to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. He sent letters to a friend describing the eruption. He was much too scared to go any closer, so he stayed where he was. He was far from the site, but close enough to see the eruption.

 Dating 
Recent research has questioned the day of the eruption, with some scholars arguing for an autumn date.

 Related pages 
Herculaneum

 References 

Category:World Heritage Sites in Italy
Category:Cities affected by the eruption of mount Vesuvius in 79 AD