"Pompeii – Victim of Vesuvius" a Pompeii Travel Page by MikeAtSea

Situated on a plateau next to the Mount Vesuvius and the city of Naples on the West Coast of Italy the city is well know for the massive eruption of the volcano in 79 AD which covered the entire city under ash and rock.
The cities origins go back to probably the 7th century BC when the first ring of walls was built around an ear of 63.5 hectares.
Pompeii was a cosmopolitan city with many nationalities living in this massive city. Etruscan and Greek elements led to the development of Pompeii and by the end of the 5th century BC Samnite tribes moved down from the hills. During this era the city received a strong push towards urbanization.
Hence Rome started looking towards Southern Italy and many alliances and military campaigns resulted that Pompeii entered the political Roman organization.
A rebellion in 90 and 89 BC downgraded Pompeii simply to a colony and the city was enhanced with private and public buildings.
A violent earthquake struck the entire Vesuvius region in 62 AD. Reconstruction began immediately.
Over the following 17 years the city was repaired to recover from the extend of the destruction until the Vesuvius suddenly erupted on the 24th of August 79 AD to bury the entire city under ash and rock.
Pompeii was rediscovered in the 16th century but exploration did not start until 1748 when the King of Naples Charles III of Bourbon started excavation, which still lasts till today.
The area of Pompeii is estimated to have been more then 66 hectares of which 45 hectares been excavated already.