Almost 2,000 years ago Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the nearby city of Pompeii, though in a roundabout way the destruction gave the ancient Roman city a sort of immortality.
Pompeii was largely preserved beneath the ashes and helped give a window on what life was like back in Roman times.
It's been a treasure trove for archaeologists, while the graffiti discovered written on the city walls has helped give a glimpse into the lives and concerns of the people who lived there.
If nothing else, it demonstrates the human urge to write their name on a wall and draw d**ks all over the place is something of a timeless tradition.
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Meanwhile, the bodies discovered in the destroyed ruins of the city have painted a picture of what the final moments of life during the volcanic eruption were like.
A new discovery of the bodies of two people who experts think sought shelter from the erupting volcano has resulted in quite the discovery.
The remains of a man and a woman were found in the room of a Pompeiian house which archaeologists believe had been a temporary bedroom while the place was being renovated.
According to officials, they likely went into the room to take shelter from the falling rocks from the eruption and would have died in the room when the pyroclastic flow engulfed them, it is this which killed so many people in Pompeii.
When Vesuvius erupted the first stage to impact Pompeii was pumice rain, where stones fell on the city for 18 hours.
This window of time allowed many of the residents of Pompeii to escape the destruction, but those who didn't make it out were killed when the pyroclastic flow followed.
Experts believe that the space outside the room where they took shelter might have been pummelled by the rain of rocks, effectively trapping the man and woman in the room.
The man, whose skeleton indicates he was around 20, was found lying beneath a collapsed wall.
The woman, predicted to be somewhere between 35 and 45, was curled up on the bed with a 'hoard of valuable items' next to her including a collection of gold, silver and bronze coins as well as gold and pearl earrings.
Archaeologists have speculated that the woman was trying to take her valuables with her out of the city when she and the man took shelter from the falling rocks in the room.
The ruins of the ancient city are counted among Italy's most popular tourist attractions - though if you ever go do be aware that taking bits of Pompeii back with you is meant to bring on a terrible curse.
Topics: History, World News
Joe Harker