Ancient Herculaneum was situated on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two streams bordering its east and west sides, and Mount Vesuvius behind.

According to mythical tradition, it was founded by the hero Hercules returning from Iberia, while the historian Strabo dates its foundation to various phases of occupation by different Italic peoples. Herculaneum rebelled against Rome but was finally conquered in 89 B.C., becoming a Roman municipality.

The city was rather modest in size, with a walled area of about 20 hectares, a street system based on decumani and cardini, and an estimated population of about 4000 inhabitants. In the Augustan age, like many other cities in the empire, it underwent a successful building renovation, with the restoration of many public buildings, including the Theatre and the Basilica of Nonius Balbus.

A devastating earthquake in 62 A.D. caused significant damage and then the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. buried the city forever. Herculaneum was rediscovered in the 18th century, with excavations conducted by the Bourbon kings through underground shafts and tunnels. In 1828, excavations resumed “in the open” and continued until 1875. After a long period of interruption, work resumed in 1927 under the archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri, who led the project until 1958.

Further investigations were carried out during the 20th century and in the early 2000s, bringing to light a large part of the city’s waterfront and a small section of the Villa dei Papiri (Villa of the Papyri).