Pompei is certainly the most important archaeological site in Campania.Visited every year by almost 1 million of people from all over the world. An average tour lasts 2 hours but you can spend there also a full day. The town was founded by the Oscans after the union of 5 villages In their language 5 is "PEMPO OR POMPE",that's why the name. Like other local cities it was occupied or influenced by other populations like the Greeks, the Etruscans and the samnites. .It became a roman colony in 89 B.C .Its age of splendour as one of the most important commercial city in southern Italy with almost 20.000 inhabitants, lasted until 62 A.D. when a terrible earthquake badly damaged it .But it was in 79 A.D .when mount Vesuvius burst out ,that Pompeii was completely buried and forgotten for almost 18 centuries only the 3/5 of the city have been excavated and they are still going on .Not to be missed are The forum area, the thermal baths, the amphitheatre and the Villa dei Misteri.