Why the Roman City of Pompeii in Italy Still Haunts and Fascinates Us

ARTnews

Factuality

Ownership

Why the Roman City of Pompeii in Italy Still Haunts and Fascinates Us

In 79 C.E., Pompeii, some 14 miles southeast of Naples, was a luxurious resort city. By then it was part of the Roman Empire, though the area had been first settled by the Osci, a central Italian ethnic group eventually absorbed into the empire. Before its name became synonymous with tragedy, Pompeii was something of a playground for the Roman elite. Stone-paved roads connected shops, restaurants, bathhouses, brothels, and even an arena that cou…