View in NW direction. The Roman town of Pompeii, including most of its inhabitants, was buried under a several metres thick layer of tephra in the afternoon of 23 November 79 AD, after the plume emitted by a massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius (background, 1281 m) had collapsed. Despite massive destruction, many features have been preserved in the underground for almost two millennia. Excavations began in the 18th Century.