What is Stabiae?
{{Infobox ancient site|name=Stabiae|native_name=|alternate_name=|image=Wall painting from Stabiae, 1st century.jpg|alt=|caption=Wall painting from Stabiae, 1st century AD|map_type=|map_alt=|coordinates={{coord|40|42|11|N|14|29|56|E|display=inline,title}}|location=Castellammare di Stabia, [[Province of Naples]], [[Campania]], Italy|region=[[Southern Italy]]|type=Settlement|part_of=|length=|width=|area=|height=|builder=|material=|built=|abandoned=|epochs=|cultures=|dependency_of=|occupants=|event=|excavations=|archaeologists=|condition=|ownership=|management=Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Pompei, Ercolano e Stabia|public_access=|website=[http://www.pompeiisites.org/ Sito Archeologico di Stabiae] {{in lang|it|en}}|notes=}} [[File:Mt_Vesuvius_79_AD_eruption.svg|right|thumb|350x350px|Stabiae and other cities affected by the eruption of [[Mount Vesuvius]]. The black cloud represents the general distribution of ash and cinder. Modern coast lines are shown.]] '''Stabiae''' was a [[Ancient Rome|Ancient Roman]] settlement, about {{convert|4.5|km}} southwest of [[Pompeii]]. Like Pompeii, this [[seaside resort]] was largely buried by [[tephra]] ash in the 79 AD [[Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD|eruption of Mount Vesuvius]], in this case at a smaller depth of up to five metres.<ref>Giovanna Bonifacio; Anna Maria Sodo, Gina Carla Ascione, In Stabiano - Cultura e archeologia da Stabiae , Castellammare di Stabia, Longobardi Editore, 2006. {{ISBN|88-8090-126-5}} p. 117-118</ref> It is only {{cvt|16|km|mi}} from [[Mount Vesuvius]]. Stabiae is most famous for the Roman villas found near the ancient. They are some of the most stunning architectural and artistic remains from any Roman villas.<ref>Stabiae: Master Plan 2006, the Archaeological Superintendancy of Pompeii, School of Architecture of the University of Maryland, The Committee of Stabiae Reborn</ref> They are the largest concentration of well-preserved, enormous, elite seaside villas found from the entire Roman world. The villas were on a 50&nbsp;m