Mount Vesuvius erupts, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pompeii was buried under 14 to 17 feet of ash, killing approximately 2,000 residents, while Herculaneum was buried under 60 feet of mud. Eyewitness Pliny the Younger documented the 18-hour disaster, which also claimed the life of his uncle, Pliny the Elder. While traditionally dated to August, a 2018 charcoal inscription discovery suggests the eruption occurred later, likely in October.

Mount Vesuvius eruption sequence

• ▪The eruption of Mount Vesuvius began at noon, propelling a 10-mile mushroom cloud of ash and pumice into the stratosphere.
• ▪The eruption of Mount Vesuvius lasted for approximately 18 hours, drastically changing the nearby seacoast.

Pompeii destruction

• ▪During the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, volcanic ash and a hail of pumice stones up to 3 inches in diameter showered Pompeii for 12 hours, forcing most residents to flee.
• ▪Approximately 2,000 residents stayed in Pompeii during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, sheltering in cellars or stone structures.
• ▪The remaining residents of Pompeii were killed the morning after the eruption began when a cloud of toxic gas suffocated them, followed by a flow of rock and ash that buried the city under 14 to 17 feet of material.

Herculaneum destruction

• ▪Herculaneum was destroyed when a giant cloud of hot ash and gas surged down the western flank of Mount Vesuvius, followed by a flood of volcanic mud and rock that buried the city under more than 60 feet of material.
• ▪A westerly wind initially protected the city of Herculaneum from the first stage of the Mount Vesuvius eruption.

Pliny the Younger eyewitness account

• ▪Pliny the Younger, who was 17 years old and staying west along the Bay of Naples during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, survived the disaster and wrote a detailed account of the event in two letters to the historian Tacitus.
• ▪In his letters to Tacitus, Pliny the Younger described people covering their heads with pillows to protect against falling stones and praying to die amidst a dark, combustible cloud.

Pliny the Elder death

• ▪Pliny the Elder, the uncle of Pliny the Younger, served as the commander of the Roman fleet in the Bay of Naples at the time of the Mount Vesuvius eruption.
• ▪Pliny the Elder, a celebrated naturalist and commander of the Roman fleet in the Bay of Naples, died from toxic gas inhalation after sailing to Stabiae to investigate the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Eruption date debate

• ▪A long-standing debate exists over the exact date of the Mount Vesuvius eruption, partly due to variations in later copies of Pliny the Younger's lost original manuscript.
• ▪Archaeological evidence, including autumn produce, braziers, and a charcoal inscription dated October 17 discovered in 2018, suggests the eruption of Mount Vesuvius may have occurred later in the year than the traditionally cited August date.