Herculaneum

An ancient Roman town of 4,000-5,000 inhabitants buried under 15-18 metres of pyroclastic material by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Unlike Pompeii, the volcanic flows at Herculaneum carbonized and preserved wooden objects, furniture, textiles, and even food. Originally a Greek settlement linked to Heracles, it passed through Samnite control before becoming a Roman municipium in 89 BC. Discovered accidentally in 1709 during well-digging, it was the first Vesuvian city found. The Villa of the Papyri yielded an entire library of ancient Greek philosophical texts. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 alongside Pompeii.