Pompeii: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026

News •

Archaeologists unearthed a Pompeii cupboard containing 38 coins and a bag of childhood charms that were buried in the 79 AD eruption • Nov. 7, 2026, 12:12 AM ET (Earth.com)

Perfume bottle and child’s necklace among treasures found in Pompeii wardrobe | Archaeology • Oct. 30, 2026, 12:20 PM ET (The Guardian)

In Pompeii, a woman's wardrobe resurfaces with beauty items and jewels • Oct. 29, 2026, 6:08 AM ET (Euronews)

Facts

Also Known As	Pompei

Did You Know?

Pink Floyd filmed a live concert in Pompeii's Amphitheatre for their documentary.
A 2014 Pompeii preservation effort cost an estimated $145 million, the same price as roughly 362 Lamborghini Aventadors.
According to the Volcanic Explosivity Index, Mount Vesuvius's 79 CE eruption was as explosive as that of Mount St. Helens in 1989.

Photos and Videos

Ruins of ancient Pompeii with stone columns and walls in the foreground, and Mount Vesuvius rising in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Map of southern Europe highlighting Italy, with a red star marking the location of Pompeii near the southwest coast, identifying it as a World Heritage Site. Surrounding countries and major bodies of water such as the Tyrrhenian Sea and Mediterranean Sea are also labeled for reference.

Stone-paved roadway lined with ancient brick and stone ruins in Pompeii, Italy, with mountains visible in the background.

Map depicting the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius near the Bay of Naples in Italy. The shaded gray area shows the extent of the volcanic smoke plume, covering cities such as Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae, which are marked with red dots to indicate they were destroyed. The map includes surrounding locations like Neapolis, Misenum, and Salernum, as well as the islands of Ischia and Capri. An inset shows the region's location within Italy.

Fresco of Polyphemus and Galatea

Plaster cast of a seated person with knees drawn up and face covered, created from the remains of a victim of the 79 AD eruption at Pompeii, displayed among ancient pottery.

Stone-paved Via dell'Abbondanza in ancient Pompeii, Italy, with deep grooves from Roman wagons, flanked by ruins of brick and stone buildings under a clear sky.

Pompeii: basilica

Pompeii: Temple of Apollo

Tour Pompeii ruins, House of Faun, Forum, Temple of Apollo, and Amphitheatre with Mount Vesuvius in view

Discover the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

mosaic ancient Ancient Italic people Fresco painting Today in History—August 24: A Buried City Keeps Surprising Us Herculaneum Capua Alba Longa Paestum Sybaris Campus Martius Baiae Cumae Selinus Veii

Vairano Patenora: castle

Campania

region, Italy

Sunlit view of the ancient stone ruins of Herculaneum in Campania, Italy, with excavated walls and columns, modern buildings in the distance, and Mount Vesuvius on the horizon.

Herculaneum

ancient city, Italy

Italy

country, Europe

Roman Forum

ancient Rome

ancient state, Europe, Africa, and Asia

Ruins of ancient Pompeii with stone arches and columns, a large grassy area in front, and Mount Vesuvius rising in the background.

Vesuvius

volcano, Italy

Key People

default image

Giuseppe Fiorelli

Italian archaeologist

Quiz thumbnail, "What Happened on this Very Important Date" quiz. A push pin on a calendar

What Very Big Thing Happened on This Day?

Temple ruins of columns and statures at Karnak, Egypt (Egyptian architecture; Egyptian archaelogy; Egyptian history)

History Buff Quiz