Ancient city in Italy, near the volcano
Vesuvius, 21 km/13 mi southeast of Naples.
In
AD 63 an earthquake destroyed much of the city, which had been a Roman port and pleasure resort; it was completely buried beneath volcanic ash when Vesuvius, a composite and therefore explosive
volcano erupted in
AD 79. Over 2,000 people were killed. Pompeii was rediscovered in 1748 and the systematic excavation begun in 1763 still continues.
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