What is the size of Pompeii?
The town was founded around the 7th-6th century BC by the Osci or Oscans. Pompeii was also captured by the Etruscans and later Pompeii was captured by the Greek colony of Cumae. Still later Pompeii was forced to accept the status of socium of Rome. In 89 BC, Pompeii was finally annexed to the Roman Republic. At the time of the eruption, the town could have had as many as Today, 20,000 inhabitants. On 5 February 62 AD there was a severe earthquake which is believed to have registered over 7.5 on the Richter scale. The volcanic eruption started on on August 24th 79 AD. Today, Pompeii generally has less than a third of all buildings open in the 1960s being available for public viewing today. The site is huge and the sections of the ancient city open to the public are extensive. Tourists could spend many days exploring the whole site.
