Pompeii

Introduction & Top Questions
History
History of excavations
Description of the remains
Influence on European culture
Importance as historical source

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & 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.

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

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.

At a Glance

Temple of Apollo, Pompeii, Italy, with Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Pompeii summary

Quizzes

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

Related Questions

How deep was the ash and volcanic debris that covered Pompeii?
How did Greek influence reach the early settlement of Pompeii?
How did Pompeii become more Roman after the Social War?
How did Pompeii's graffiti reveal details about ancient Roman life?
How did the Samnites gain control of Pompeii?
How did the discoveries at Pompeii influence Neoclassical art and design in Europe?
How did the homes of wealthy Pompeiians differ from the smaller shop houses?
How large was Pompeii inside its city walls?
How many gates to ancient Pompeii have been excavated?
How many people lived in Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted?
How much of ancient Pompeii had been excavated by the 1990s?
How was Pompeii's basilica used before it became a model for Christian basilicas?
What evidence from Pompeii shows how bread was made in ancient Rome?
What features were found in the House of the Faun at Pompeii?
What happened in Pompeii during the first day of the 79 CE eruption?
What public buildings stood near the Triangular Forum in Pompeii?
What was sold at the Macellum in Pompeii?
What was the Great Pompeii Project designed to do?
What were the main streets of ancient Pompeii?
When did Pompeii become an ally of Rome?
When were the ruins of Pompeii first discovered?
Where was the Alexander the Great mosaic discovered in Pompeii?
Where was the ancient Roman city of Pompeii located?
Which Roman gods were honored at the Capitoline temple in Pompeii's Forum?
Why did Latin replace Oscan as Pompeii's official language?
Why did Pompeii remain preserved for centuries after the eruption?
Why do some scholars believe the eruption of Mount Vesuvius happened later than August 24, 79 CE?
Why do weather and plant growth threaten the ruins of Pompeii?
Why was Pompeii declared a state of emergency site by the Italian government in 2008?
Why were early excavations at Pompeii sometimes damaging to the site?
Why were vineyards and gardens important in ancient Pompeii?
Why is Pompeii famous?
Why was Pompeii destroyed?
Where was Pompeii located?
How many people died at Pompeii?
When did the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii occur?
How does Pompeii look today?
How was the Roman Republic different from the Roman Empire?
Was the Roman Republic a democracy?
Why did the Roman Republic end?
Who was the first Roman emperor?

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External Websites

University of Wisconsin-Madison - Ancient Engineering Technologies - Pompeii
World History Encyclopedia - Pompeii, Italy
Official Pompeii Archaeological Site

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Pompeii - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Pompeii - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Pompeii

ancient city, Italy

Also known as: Pompei

Written by

Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski

Emeritus Professor of Ancient History, University of Maryland, College Park. Author of Letters from Pompeii and numerous other works based on her excavations at Pompeii.

Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 9, 2026 •History

Pompeii, preserved ancient Roman city in Campania, Italy, 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Naples, at the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius. Around noon on August 24, 79 ce, a huge eruption from Mount Vesuvius showered Pompeii with volcanic debris, followed the next day by clouds of blisteringly hot gas. (Some scholars believe the eruption occurred later in the year, possibly in October or November.) Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and...

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