It was a flourishing town, smaller than Pompei and it had 4000 inhabitants.

According to the legend it was founded by the mytical Hercules. The eruption of 79 a.C. buried the town under flows of lava for an average height of about 16 metres. The solidification of the lava favoured a better preservation state of the the buildings and of the organics finds such as furnishings and materials.

The excavations started in 1738 during the reign of Charles III of the Bourbon royal dynasty. The whole surface of the ancient town is 20 hectares out of which 4,5 have been excavated.