In an integrative interdisciplinary approach of archaeology and geosciences the ancient cultural landscape of the Sarno River plain is being reconstructed before the volcanic eruption of Somma-Vesuvius in AD 79. In a first project phase the pre-AD 79 topography and paleo-environmental conditions of the Sarno River plain were modelled using stratigraphic data, GIS and an inductively-derived predictive model based on decision trees. These paleo-conditions can be considered as fundamental for the understanding of the ancient settlement dynamic and the interactive human-environment relationship in the pre-Roman and Roman period. Consequently, in the second project phase this high resolution pre-AD 79 landscape model of the Sarno River plain is the basis for further detailed geoarchaeological research. The ancient local and regional road network of the Sarno River plain is being reconstructed by means of a terrain sensitive least-cost path analysis. It utilizes the pre-AD 79 topography and paleo-environmental features as drivers for route selection. Furthermore, the ancient rural settlement structure that is represented by Roman farms (villae rusticae) is being analysed utilizing spatial analysis and predictive modelling.