This course offers an introduction to the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which were buried by a massive volcanic eruption on August 24th AD 79. At the time of its destruction, Pompeii was a thriving commercial port at the mouth of the Sarno River in southwestern Italy, while Herculaneum was a wealthy seaside community nearby. Topics covered will include the form and specific elements of the eruption, historical development, the history of archaeology at these cities, the private homes, public buildings, paintings, graffiti, and the utter humanness of the tragedy seen at Pompeii and Herculaneum.