Pompeii was an important port city built at the base of Mt. Vesuvius on ancient lava flows along 
the Eastern shore of the Bay of Naples.  

After Rome took over the city in 80 b.c., they modernized it, introducing aquaducts, bath houses 
and numerous gravity driven water fountains that were used as signposts to facilitate navigation
around the city.  Pompeii had an ampitheatre that seated 15,000, a large theatre with 5000 seats 
and a small theatre with 1500 seats. The wealthy lived in large houses, the middle-class stayed 
in rooms behind their shops or in a second story above them.

So far 84 "fast food" restaurants have been uncovered along with 23 official brothels and 17 
unofficial ones.  Colorful paintings adorn the walls offering suggestions (or instructions?) to
the patrons who could participate individually or in groups for half the cost of a glass of wine.  
Phallic symbols carved in the stones in the streets pointed the way for eager sailors.

On Aug 24, 79 a.d. the massive 9000 foot mountain exploded and blasted 700 degree pyroclastic
winds outward at 1400 km/hr.  Within 8 hours two thirds of the mountain was gone and Pompeii 
was buried under 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice rock.  It happened so quickly and remained
buried so long (1700 years) that the city is remarkably preserved except for most of the roofs 
which colapsed under the weight of the ash.

For centuries nobody knew that Pompeii was there until someone discovered the top of a column 
from the Temple of Venus protruding from the highest point of the site.                  Excavation began in 
the 1800s and continues today.  A third of the site is still pending excavation.  Only 4000
bodies have been found so far.  It's theorized that many of the other 15,000 residents tried to
escape to the sea but were washed away by the giant tsunami generated by the explosion.

Mount Vesuvius erupts every 50 years or so, most recently in 1944.  After centuries of lava flows
into the Bay, the ruins of Pompeii now lie a kilometer from the sea.

800,000 people live at the base of Mt. Vesuvius today.

On August 24, 79 Mount Vesuvius literally blew its top, spewing tons of molten ash, pumice and sulfuric gas miles into
Vesuvius erupts, 1944 the atmosphere. A "firestorm" of poisonous vapors and
 molten debris engulfed the surrounding area suffocating the inhabitants of
 the neighboring Roman resort cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. 
Tons of falling debris filled the streets until nothing remained to be seen
 of the once thriving communities. The cities remained buried and undiscover
ed for almost 1700 years until excavation began in 1748. These excavations 
continue today and provide insight into life during the Roman Empire.