Which city in present-day Italy was destroyed in AD 79 by Mount Vesuvius?

Which city in present-day Italy was destroyed in AD 79 by Mount Vesuvius?

• A. Naples
• B. Rome
• C. Pompeii
• D. Herculaneum

Answer: (C)

Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, burying nearby towns under thick ash and pumice. Pompeii sat right at the foot of the volcano, so it was rapidly covered, preserving streets, homes, and daily life beneath volcanic material. That sudden burial turned Pompeii into one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and firmly situates it in present-day Italy. While Herculaneum was also destroyed in the same eruption, Pompeii is the city most commonly cited for this event and matches the question's focus. Naples and Rome were not destroyed by this eruption, since they are farther away from the blast.