Pompeya

Pompeya, known in English as Pompeii, is an ancient Roman city near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. It was a prosperous commercial and residential center connected to the Roman road network and notable for its dense urban fabric, public buildings, and private houses.

In 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted catastrophically, sending ash, pumice, and gases over the surrounding area. Pompeya was rapidly buried under volcanic deposits, which preserved streets, houses, frescoes, mosaics, and everyday objects in remarkable detail. The footwear, food remnants, graffiti, and household layouts provide a rare view of daily life in a Roman town.

Modern interest began in the 18th century with systematic excavations, expanding through the 19th and 20th centuries. The rediscovery and later restoration were advanced by archaeologists such as Giuseppe Fiorelli, who introduced plaster casts to recreate the shapes of victims and to reveal building plans beneath the ash. Work at the site uncovered numerous public and private buildings, including temples, baths, markets, and theatres.

Pompeya offers a near-unique snapshot of Roman urban life. Notable features include the Forum, the Amphitheatre, the Stabian and Central Baths, as well as private houses such as the House of the Vettii and the House of the Faun, whose wall paintings and mosaics illustrate Roman taste and daily activity. The Lupanar, one of the city’s brothels, is among the best-known surviving monuments.

The site is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List as The Archaeological Areas of Pompeii (inscribed in 1997) and is managed as the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Ongoing excavations and conservation work aim to enhance understanding of Roman society while preserving fragile remains for future study and public access.