Pompeii ( / p ɒ m ˈ p eɪ i / ) was an ancient Roman city near modern Naples in the Campania region of Italy, in the territory of the comune of Pompeii. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area (e.g. at Boscoreale, Stabiae), was buried under 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Many of the inhabitants were also buried before they could escape. In 79 CE, volcanic Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii, Italy. Hidden from the world beneath pumice and ash, it was all but forgotten for nearly 1,500 years. But that changed in 1738 when excavation workers discovered the site preserved beneath dust and debris. ... Thus, the preserved bodies of Pompeii were born. The ruined city remained frozen in time until it was discovered by a surveying engineer in 1748. Largely preserved under the ash, the excavated city offers a unique snapshot of Roma...