Ercolano [erkoˈlaːno] is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania of Southern Italy. It lies at the western foot of Mount Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, just southeast of the city of Naples. The medieval town of Resina - read Resìna - was built on the volcanic material left by the eruption of Vesuvius (79 CE) that destroyed the ancient city of Herculaneum, from which the present name is derived. Ercolano is a resort and the starting point for excursions to the excavations of Herculaneum and for the ascent of Vesuvius by bus. The town also manufactures leather goods, buttons, glass, and the wine known as Lacryma Christi (Tears of Christ).

According to legend, Herculaneum was founded by Hercules, who was returning from one of his Twelve Labours. Historically, it was most likely founded by the Oscans, an Italic tribe of the 8th century BC, and later became part of both the Etruscan and Samnite dominions. Under the control of the Romans, the city was a renowned seaside resort where some of the richest Roman citizens spent their summer vacations. It was built according to the standard model of Hippodamus of Miletus with a grid of crossing Decumans and Cardos. The houses are elegant and large and there are public buildings that are abundant and large, compared to the small number of inhabitants (estimated to be 5,000).

In February 05 of AD 62, the resort city suffered heavy damage from violent earthquakes and restoration projects were still ongoing at that time. This was cut short however, on August 24 of AD 79, when Vesuvius violently erupted and completely buried the small city under thick layers of hot volcanic debris. Unlike neighboring Pompeii, which was buried under pumice and fine ash, the citizens of Herculaneum died of severe thermal shock from successions of superheated pyroclastic surges and lava flows.

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