Once a thriving Roman city, Pompeii is known as an archaeological site. It is located in the southern part of Italy, in the Campania region. It was built somewhere in the 6th or 7th century BC, by the Oscans.
Why it is special: A thriving city under the Roman rule, the city was completely destroyed in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted and the city was buried under 4-6 metres of volcanic ash and pumice. All those within the city perished along with it. The city was lost for over a century, until a letter written by a witness, who saw the city being destroyed from a distance, was discovered. The city was only rediscovered in the 18th century. Archaeologists unearthed a complex water system, amphitheatre, port and even a gymnasium.
