And we know this because Pompeii got preserved after the lava-flows, allowing buildings and records to survive. Imagine what the rest of Italy, or even beyond, looked like during this time.
POMPEII; THE BEST MIX OF GREEK, ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN INFLUENCES; PRODUCTIVE VINEYARDS; LARGE MANORS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS; THRIVING MARKETS; BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE; VESUVIUS