Founding and Romanization
The city of Pompeii was established on a volcanic plateau near the Sarno River in the region of Campania, likely founded by the Oscan populations sometime between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, though local occupation may date back further. Over the subsequent centuries, the city came under the influence of various powers, reflecting the dynamic history of Southern Italy. It experienced control or strong cultural influence from the Etruscans and the Greeks. By the 4th century BC, it was firmly integrated into the territory of the Samnites. Pompeii's independence ended with the Social War (91–88 BC) when it was besieged by Sulla's forces. After its defeat, it officially became a Roman colonia (a settlement of Roman citizens), renamed Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum, rather than a municipium, during the 1st century BC, signifying its full political and legal integration into the Roman system.
The Eruption: Destruction and Preservation
The city's doom was foreshadowed by a catastrophic earthquake in 62 AD, seventeen years before the final eruption. This event caused widespread structural damage and initiated a significant economic crisis. The slow, ongoing process of reconstruction was far from complete when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24th (or, based on recent archaeological evidence, possibly October 24th) of 79 AD.
The eruption was a sudden, two-day event. First, an enormous column of ash, pumice, and gas was ejected into the atmosphere (the Plinian phase). This was followed by a series of lethal, superheated currents of gas and rock fragments known as pyroclastic flows, which instantly overwhelmed and incinerated life within the city. This tragic event resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 people in Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum, including the famous Roman writer, admiral, and naturalist Pliny the Elder, who died attempting a rescue mission and to observe the phenomenon. The immense volume of ash and pumice stone that buried Pompeii acted as a natural time capsule, perfectly preserving the city under layers up to 6 meters (20 feet) deep, leading to its complete disappearance from memory for centuries.
Rediscovery and Cultural Impact
Pompeii remained undisturbed, covered by earth and vegetation, until the 18th century. While there were sporadic, accidental finds earlier, the systematic archaeological excavations began in 1748 under the patronage of the Bourbon King Charles VII of Naples. The work was initially driven by treasure hunting but eventually evolved into the scientific study of the ancient world.
The unearthing of a complete, intact Roman city—with its vibrant frescoes, everyday objects, and architecture frozen in time—had a profound and immediate effect on European culture, fueling the Neoclassical movement and sparking a fascination known as "Pompeian fever." The discoveries inspired a considerable number of artistic, literary, and musical works, from paintings to novels. Today, Pompeii remains a vital UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major global tourism destination.
Among Pompeii's most precious archaeological treasures are monumental structures like the House of the Faun, famous for the spectacular Alexander Mosaic (a depiction of the battle between Alexander the Great and Darius III), and the Villa of the Mysteries (located just outside the city walls), which contains one of the finest cycles of Roman frescoes, possibly depicting a cult initiation rite. Furthermore, the archaeologists made plaster casts of the voids left in the ash by decomposing bodies, creating the touching and haunting remains of people and animals tragically captured in their final moments, which powerfully illustrate the human cost of the disaster.
