2000 years ago the entire Roman city of Pompeii was buried alive in a huge volcanic eruption. The series presents a countdown through the final days of life in Pompeii and how new archaeological digs and technologies are revealing previously unknown secrets about the people hidden beneath the ash. The three episodes explore a wide range of different themes to evoke daily life in Pompeii exactly as it would have been in the run up to the eruption such as work, leisure, food, shopping, interior design, money, politics, and architecture. The series reveals how every aspect of this bustling Roman port worked; all set against the tense backdrop of a ticking volcanic time bomb. Each episode profiles key characters who lived in the final days of Pompeii. From a gladiator to businessman to humble bar owner. Their final hours in Pompeii are pieced together in unprecedented detail by combining geological, historical and archaeological evidence.