Pompeii is an ancient city in Italy. Many people lived there once. The city was very lively. It had theaters and a gym. There were restaurants, a market, and even a hotel in the ancient city.
But that all changed in the year 79 A.D. A nearby volcano erupted that year. When it erupted, it threw ash and rock into the air. Tons of ash covered Pompeii. The ash was so heavy that it made buildings fall. Thousands of people died.
After that, no one lived in Pompeii. It was left behind for hundreds of years.
Then, people went there and began to dig through the ashes. They found what was left of Pompeii! They found the ruined buildings. They found paintings on walls. They even found jars of fruit!
Today, people are still studying Pompeii. They can look at what’s left to learn about what life was like there long ago.
