Richard Platt has been writing for children since 1992. One of his books, Castle Diary, was shortlisted for the Kate Maschler Award, The Times Education Supplement award, and a History Today prize. His Pirate Diary won the Kate Greenaway Medal 2002, the Silver Smarties Award 2002, and won the 'Best Book With Facts' prize in the Blue Peter Book Awards 2003. Manuela Cappon is the founding member of the MM Comunicazione illustration studio based in Florence, Italy. Over the past 12 years, Manuela and her colleagues have specialized in high-quality non-fiction illustrations, working with publishing houses both in Italy and abroad.

04-05 Introduction; 06-07 A humble hut 750BCE; 08-09 Farms and crafts 380BCE; 10-11 The town develops 300BCE; 12-13 The house prospers 150BCE; 14-15 Inside the atrium 100BCE; 16-17 The city under attack 89BCE; 18-19 After the war 82BCE; 20-21 A growing city 10CE; 22-23 The house at its peak 60CE; 24-25 A banquet 60CE; 26-27 The earthquake 62CE; 28-29 After the quake 70CE; 30-31 The eruption 79CE; 32-33 A city buried 100CE; 34-35 Pompeii forgotten 1689CE; 36-37 Treasure hunters 1750CE; 38-39 Studying the ruins 1870CE; 40-41 Romantic ruin today; 42-45 Illustrated glossary and timeline; 46-47 Index.