As we all know from history class Pompeii is a ruined Roman city near Naples. It was destroyed during a eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The volcano buried the city under many feet of ash and it was lost for 1,600 years before its accidental rediscovery. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. On my day off this week in Naples or Napoli, as it's called here in Itay, I went to Pompeii to check it out. 
Here's the Basilica. This is where court was held and commerical and financial transactions took place.
This is the Odeion or small theatre as you will. It's in the Greek style using the naturally sloping ground. With the stage below the audience, it makes every seat in the house a good one.
When the city was found, they were able to fill the empty spaces produced by organic decomposition of the bodies with plaster. These show people in their final moments:
Here's a smattering of some other pictures from Pompeii:
It's quite amazing how well preserved some of the things are like the frescos and the mosaic floors.
Well I'm off to another day of work here in Napoli. The building this week is quite difficult, but we'll get through it.
