The Roman city of Pompeii thrived in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, a bustling cosmopolitan seaside town on the Bay of Naples, a favourite retreat of the Roman elite, a melting pot of traders from across the Empire. But in two desperate days it was lost. In A.D. 79 the volcano erupted burying the city and its people under metres of pumice and ash. Pompeii: The New Dig s2e1, BBC 2005
Traces of those lost lives are emerging once more. ibid.
The wealthiest houses in Pompeii often had indoor courtyards, private green spaces, away from the chaos and bustle of the public places. ibid.