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Facts about Pompeii: The Ancient Roman City Destroyed by Mount Vesuvius

• Pompeii was destroyed in 79 CE when Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering it in at least 19 feet (6 metres) of ash and other volcanic debris.
• The quick burial of Pompeii preserved it for centuries before its ruins were discovered in the late 16th century, marking the start of the modern science of archaeology.
• The archaeological sites at and around Pompeii are important because they provide a unique source of information about many aspects of social, economic, religious, and political life of the ancient world.
• The eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii occurred on August 24, 79 CE, and also destroyed the cities of Herculaneum, Stabiae, Torre Annunziata, and other nearby communities.
• Pompeii was located in what is now the Campania region of Italy, southeast of Naples, and supported between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants at the time of its destruction.
• The remains of Pompeii's city walls are 2 miles (3 km) in circumference, and they enclose an area of about 163 acres (66 hectares).
• There are many remains of public buildings, generally grouped in three areas: the Forum, located in the large level area to the southwest; the Triangular Forum, standing on a height at the edge of the south wall overlooking the bay; and the Amphitheatre and Palaestra, in the east.
• Hundreds of private homes of various architectural styles have also been excavated at Pompeii.
• Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.
• Pompeii was first settled by Oscan-speaking descendants of the Neolithic inhabitants of Campania and was later influenced by the Greeks, Etruscans, and Samnites before becoming a Roman confederation ally.
• Latin replaced Oscan as the official language of Pompeii, and the city soon became Romanized in institutions, architecture, and culture.
• Pompeii was buried under a layer of pumice stones and ash 19 to 23 feet (6 to 7 metres) deep, which protected it from vandalism, looting, and the destructive effects of climate and weather for the next 17 centuries.