Central Shrine in the College of the Augustales, Herculaneum, Italy, 2006 (photo)

After the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, the town of Herculaneum was buried under the volcanic debris. The debris kept the town well preserved until it was excavated in the 18th century. The Temple of the Augustales belonged to the priests of the Imperial Cult. Many of its original frescoes survive, and they depict scenes from the last episodes of the Hercules myths. The college also retains its original flooring of opus sectile. Herculaneum was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 (Archaeological Areas of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata).