Pompeii

Pompeii is an ancient Roman city, covered with ashes along with the towns of Herculaneum and Stabia at the time of the eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79. Today it is an open-air museum and is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Pompeii was founded around the 7th century BC, and the name of the city was given by the word pumpe (five), since the city arose from the merger of 5 villages. According to another version, the name of the city means "triumphal procession" (pompe), since according to legend, Hercules, having killed the giant Geryon, majestically strode along the main street of the city.

The city of Pompeii was full of historical events. There were battles between Greeks and Etruscans, Greeks and Samnites, Samnites and Romans, there was an uprising against the Romans. In 59 AD, due to a quarrel during the gladiator fights, a massacre ensued between the inhabitants of Nuceria and Pompeii. The Pompeians won, and there were many dead and wounded in the ranks of the Nucerians. Because of these events, the Senate banned gladiatorial combat for 10 years, but lifted the ban in 62.

On February 5, 62, a very powerful earthquake occurred, damaging virtually all the structures in Pompeii. It was only an echo of the impending tragedy. On August 24, 79, Vesuvius showed all its might, completely covering 3 cities with volcanic ash: Stabiae, Herculaneum, Pompeii, as well as several settlements. The eruption was so powerful that ash flew to Syria and Egypt. Most of the inhabitants were able to leave the city, but more than two thousand people remained buried under a multi-meter layer of ash, and many more remains were found outside the city.

In 1592, during the construction of the canal, the city wall of Pompeii was found. In 1689, the ruins of a building with the name "Pompeii" were excavated, but then it was assumed that this was the villa of Pompey the Great. Thorough excavations began only in 1748. During the excavations, it turned out that all the streets and buildings were perfectly preserved under the ash. In place of the remains of animals and humans, the ashes petrified, and by pouring plaster inside, it was possible to restore the poses of the dead. Since 1961, restoration work has been underway. The amount of work is so huge that not all of the city has been excavated in several centuries, and about 25% of the territory of Pompeii remains unexplored.