Introductory Research - Pompeii and Herculaneum

• Where were they located?

Campania, Italy

• When did Vesuvius erupt?

79 AD

• What was the impact of the eruption?

Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. Explosions created hot avalanches of rock, ash, and gases that sped down the volcano's flank. Over two days, Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum were buried by these deadly ash flows. Many of their 20,000 citizens were killed. Today, a million people live within range of the volcano that could again erupt catastrophically.

• Why would people travel to this region before the eruption?

The archaeological sites at and around Pompeii are important because they provide a unique source of information about many aspects of social, economic, religious, and political life of the ancient world. (holiday destination)