The document discusses Vitruvius and his work De Architectura which describes Greek and Roman architectural styles. It then discusses the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD that buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Archaeological excavations of these sites began in the early 1700s and have uncovered many frescoes and examples of the four styles of Roman wall painting: Imitation of Marble, Illusion, Decorative Surfaces, and Synthesis or Intricate Style.