20 Ancient Cities That Vanished Without a Trace

Like Pompeii, Herculaneum was buried by Vesuvius in 79 CE. Unlike Pompeii’s ash, Herculaneum was entombed in volcanic mud that preserved wooden beams, scrolls, and food. The sudden erasure of this seaside resort froze Roman life in vivid detail. Its rediscovery centuries later revealed both opulence and tragedy beneath hardened lava.