Many small towns and settlements in the region were completely destroyed by the eruption, not least Pompeii.
In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted with devastating effect. Many small towns and settlements in the region were completely destroyed by the eruption, not least Pompeii. Ironically, being buried under layers of ash that fell from the volcano has led to an incredibly well-preserved snapshot of a Roman city frozen in the midst of a disaster.