Pompeii Destruction

"You could hear women lamenting, children crying, men shouting. There were some so afraid of death that they prayed for death. Many raised their hands to the gods, and even more believed that there were no gods any longer and that this was one unending night for the world." —Pliny the Younger, circa A.D. 97 to 109

Ø Inhabited by about 20,000 people in 79 A.D., Pompeii, on the bay of Naples, survived its share of wars and natural disasters.

Ø On August 24 of 79 A.D. Pompeii was one of many cities that were destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Ø The exact date of the eruption has caused some debate among scholars. It is believed that the eruption could have been on August 24, October 30, November 1, or November 23. Some of the bodies found at Pompeii had heavy clothing on which appear inappropriate for a summer month such as August. However, deciduous trees were found at Herculaneum. These trees would have been bare if it was an autumn month which makes some believe that the eruption may have happened later that August 29.

Ø The streets of Pompeii were very narrow and were quickly filled with ash and pumice as the eruption progressed.

Ø Bits of pumice were found 74 miles away.

Ø The pillar of smoke and ash was seen all the way from Rome.

Ø Volcanic activity most likely continued for several days after Pompeii was destroyed.

Ø Volcanologists now know today that there was no lava flowing during the eruption.

Ø It is estimated that the surges could have reached temperatures of 100-400°C (212-750°F). These surges could have also carried toxic gases.

Ø Since 79 A.D. Vesuvius has erupted thirty times before becoming dormant again.

Ø The main source of historical information came from Pliny the elder who watched the eruption from his quarters in Misenum. His desire to study the eruption led to his death. Years later his nephew, Pliny the younger, told his uncle’s story to the historian Tacitus.

Ø Pompeii lay buried for nearly 1,700 years. It wasn't until 1748 that archaeologists began slowly uncovering the ancient city.

Ø Pompeii is now one of the most popular tourists with having nearly 2.5 million tourists a year to visit.

For further readings please see:

Berry, Joanne. The Complete Pompeii. New York, New York: Thames

and Hudson Inc., 2007.

Deem, James M. Bodies From the Ash. Boston: Houghton Mifflin

Company, 2005.