Pompeii: Tragedy to Treasure
August 24, 79 AD
79 79
14.30E40.47N
MISC

POMPEII, ITALY
	Probably August 24, 79 AD started out much like any other day for the prosperous and sunny town of Pompeii, Italy. But looming 4,000 feet high, just a mile away from town, was the volcano Vesuvius. Though Vesuvius hadn't erupted in hundreds of years, it did so abruptly on that day.
	The Roman historian Pliny described the explosion. He said "a black and dreadful cloud now and again yawned open to reveal long fantastic flames."
	The sudden eruption destroyed the towns of Herculaneum and Stabiae, but covered Pompeii with a soft 30-foot layer of volcanic ash.
	Though the disaster was a tragedy for the people of Pompeii, of whom about 2,000 died, it has been a boon for archaeologists.
	Pompeii, located near present-day Naples, was wonderfully preserved, giving historians a clear glimpse into the everyday life of the Roman people.
	When it was destroyed, Pompeii was still being rebuilt from an earthquake in 63 AD.  It was a thriving town laid out in a standard grid pattern, with two theaters, luxurious baths, and a large forum surrounded by temples and municipal buildings.
	Private houses were generally low, of no more than two stories, the second floor generally reserved for slaves.  Wealthier homes on main streets often had shops built into the walls on the street level.  Archaeologists have found shops representing many trades, from sculptors and surgeons to fishermen and bakers.
	A systematic excavation of Pompeii began in 1763, more than 160 years after architect Domenico Fontana rediscovered it while building an underground aqueduct.