Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed Pompeii in 79 AD. The eruption was one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in history, killing thousands of people in the process. The city of Pompeii, located near the base of the volcano, was buried under layers of ash and pumice, preserving the city in its state at the time of the eruption. The event has since become a symbol of the power and unpredictability of nature.