The unique archaeological sites of the Vesuvian region are well known today, but that has not always been the case. There is a long and varied history of obscurity, discovery, abuse, and finally, appreciation.

Directly after the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, some effort was made at salvage. According to the Roman biographer Suetonius, the Roman emperor Titus, who ruled from 79 – 81AD, “chose by lot, from amongst the men of consular rank, commissioners for repairing the losses in Campania.  The estates of those who had perished by the eruption of Vesuvius, and who had left no heirs, he applied to the repair of the ruined cities.” As early as the second century AD, some transportation routes were again functioning and the land was returned to agricultural use. Although people gradually returned to the area after the eruption, it is significant that the Romans did not rebuild their towns on the sites, as was their custom. In an era when huge losses of life through war, fires and other catastrophes were not uncommon, the Romans acknowledged the devastating loss and seemingly insurmountable task of reconstruction. Awareness of the existence of the names of the cities faded from contemporary memory within a generation or so.

Rediscovery and Early Excavations
Giuseppe Fiorelli
Excavations in the 20th Century