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NOVA: Pompeii's Secret Underworld

An aerial view of Mount Vesuvius. NOVA "Last Days of Pompeii"
Roller Coaster Road Productions
/
PBS
An aerial view of Mount Vesuvius. NOVA "Last Days of Pompeii"

Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2

New archaeological finds in Pompeii are revealing that the city, hailed as a sophisticated jewel of the Roman Empire, hid a very dark side. As the evidence unfolds, a much more complex picture of the fated city comes into view.

Follow archaeologists as they discover a long lost ancient cemetery in Egypt’s sacred desert. Treasures emerge unlike anything seen by the team, revealing details of a unique period, when women had extraordinary power.

New archaeological evidence finds 2,000-year-old lines of graffiti, human remains and artifacts from ancient homes and businesses. The explorations reveal a city of wealth and extreme poverty. Before Vesuvius erupted, the ancient Roman Empire hid a very dark side.

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Take a step back in time. See the earth as it once was. Meet creatures and people you could only dream of like Lucy, the 3.2-million-year-old fossil.

Watch On Your Schedule: NOVA "Pompeii's Secret Underworld" is available to stream with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.

You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience).

Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.

Using the technique developed more than 150 years ago by Pompeii’s then-director of excavations, Giuseppe Fiorelli, the excavation team filled a void in the ash layer with plaster, and made a perfect cast of a horse. SECRETS OF THE DEAD "Last Days of Pompeii"
Roller Coaster Road Productions
/
PBS
Using the technique developed more than 150 years ago by Pompeii’s then-director of excavations, Giuseppe Fiorelli, the excavation team filled a void in the ash layer with plaster, and made a perfect cast of a horse. SECRETS OF THE DEAD "Last Days of Pompeii"

NOVA brings you stories from the frontlines of science and engineering, answering the big questions of today and tomorrow, from how our ancestors lived, to whether parallel universes exist, to how technology will transform our lives. NOVA l PBS on Facebook / Instagram

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An ornate ceremonial chariot recently discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, decorated with bronze and tin medallions on the sides and rear. SECRETS OF THE DEAD "Last Days of Pompeii"
Roller Coaster Road Productions
/
PBS
An ornate ceremonial chariot recently discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, decorated with bronze and tin medallions on the sides and rear. SECRETS OF THE DEAD "Last Days of Pompeii"

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