Pompeii
Ancient site
A Roman town stopped in a single day by a volcano.
In the year 79 the volcano Vesuvius erupted. The town of Pompeii, at its foot, disappeared under metres of ash and stones. Most people fled; about two thousand did not get away.
The ash kept everything as it was. When the town was dug out, from 1748 onwards, streets, shops, bakeries and paintings on the walls came to light: a picture of an ordinary day in Roman times.
- the eruption
- AD 79
- digging began
- 1748
- people lived there, roughly
- 11,000
- 1
On the walls you can still read what Romans scribbled there, from election slogans to jokes.
- 2
Loaves of bread were found in an oven, burnt black but whole.
- 3
About a third of the town is still under the ground.
Question 1 of 2
Read about Italy