The Palestra at Herculaneum contained two swimming pools and a gymnasium and hosted public sporting events. Herculaneum is sister to the better-known Pompeii, Italy, both of which were buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, however more of Herculaneum has been preserved as it was covered by pyroclastic mud that seeped into every crevice as it entirely covered the city, while Pompeii was buried in hotter volcanic ash that burned everything to a crisp.
