Villa near Mount Vesuvius may be where Augustus, Rome's 1st emperor, died

Pompeii was famously buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, killing several thousands. Ever since the 18th century, excavations have been removing volcanic rock to uncover the secrets of the former ancient city, just south of the volcano. However, researchers say a less famous settlement further north, called Somma Vesuviana, was also smothered by ash and debris during the event. They've uncovered the remains of an 'extravagant' villa there, which they think is where Rome's first emperor Augustus died in AD 14 – 65 years before the catastrophic eruption. The villa contains huge elaborate pillars, ancient pots known as amphora that likely held wine and even a statue of Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility.