Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, burying the city of Pompeii near Naples under ash and lava. Nearly 2,000 years later, the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii were rediscovered, revealing details of daily Roman life frozen in time. Today, Pompeii attracts many tourists who visit the excavated ruins, which include temples, a forum, theaters, and streets that show what life was like before the eruption.