This day in history, 79 AD: Vesuvius erupts.
Re-posting from History.com from a year ago in honor of the anniversary of the eruption. Also in honor of the Vesuvius exhibit at the Getty Villa. That’s just a mile up the coast from where we’re staying in our own Airbnb villa right now. Hopefully the Big One holds off in California a little while longer, thus allowing us to visit this afternoon. And if not? Well, hey, it’s been nice knowing you!
After centuries of dormancy, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy. The prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum are devastated. Thousands die. The cities, buried under a thick layer of volcanic material and mud, are never rebuilt. They remain largely forgotten in the course of history until the 18th century, when Pompeii and Herculaneum are rediscovered and excavated. This provides an unprecedented archaeological record of the everyday life of an ancient civilization, startlingly preserved in sudden death.
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The ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum thrived near the base of Mount Vesuvius at the Bay of Naples. In the time of the early Roman Empire, 20,000 people lived in the area. Merchants, manufacturers, and farmers exploited the rich soil of the region with numerous vineyards and orchards. None suspected that the black fertile earth was the legacy of Mount Vesuvius’ earlier eruptions.
Herculaneum, a city of 5,000 and a favorite summer destination for rich Romans, was named for the mythic hero Hercules. It housed opulent villas and grand Roman baths. Gambling artifacts and a brothel unearthed nearby attest to the decadent nature of the cities. Smaller resort communities in the area included the quiet little town of Stabiae, just across Naples bay.
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At noon on August 24, 79 A.D., all this pleasure and prosperity came to an abrupt end when the peak of Mount Vesuvius exploded. A 10-mile mushroom cloud of ash and pumice flew into the stratosphere. For the next 12 hours, volcanic ash and a hail of pumice stones up to 3 inches in diameter showered Pompeii. Most of the city’s occupants fled in terror. Some 2,000 people stayed behind, holed up in cellars. They hoped to wait out the eruption. Big mistake.
Westerly winds protected Herculaneum from the initial stage of the eruption. Then a giant cloud of hot ash and gas surged down the western flank of Vesuvius. The city was engulfed and all were asphyxiated or burned outright. The lethal gas cloud was followed by a flood of volcanic mud and rock. The city was buried. In Pompeii, all unlucky souls who remained behind died the following morning. That’s when a cloud of toxic gas poured into that city. A flow of rock and ash followed. Roofs and walls collapsed, burying the dead.
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Much of what we know about the eruption comes from an account by Pliny the Younger. He was nearby on the coast when Vesuvius exploded. In two letters to the historian Tacitus, he tells of how “people covered their heads with pillows, their only defense against a shower of stones.” He also describes how “a dark and horrible cloud charged with combustible matter suddenly broke and set forth. Some bewailed their own fate. Others prayed to die.”
Pliny the Younger escaped catastrophe and later became known as a writer and Roman administrator. His uncle, Pliny the Elder, was less lucky. A celebrated naturalist, he commanded a Roman fleet in the Bay of Naples. After Vesuvius exploded, he took his boats across the bay to Stabiae. He hoped to investigate the eruption and reassure terrified citizens. But after going ashore, he breathed toxic gas, collapsed, and died.
According to Pliny the Younger’s account, the eruption lasted 18 hours. Pompeii lay buried under 14 to 17 feet of ash and pumice. The nearby seacoast changed drastically. Herculaneum ended up with more than 60 feet of mud and volcanic material. Some residents later returned to dig out destroyed homes, hoping to salvage their valuables. But many treasures remained behind, totally forgotten.
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In the 18th century, a well digger unearthed a marble statue at Herculaneum. The local government excavated some valuable art objects, but they abandoned the project soon after. In 1748, a farmer found traces of Pompeii beneath his vineyard. Since then, excavations have continued without interruption until the present. In 1927, the Italian government resumed excavations at Herculaneum. They retrieved numerous art treasures. Bronze and marble statues and paintings were among the trove. Some of them are now on display at the Getty.
The remains of 2,000 men, women, and children lie buried at Pompeii. After perishing from asphyxiation and covered in ash, their bodies decomposed to skeletal remains. This process left behind a kind of mold. Archaeologists filled in the hollows with plaster, revealing in grim detail the death pose of Vesuvius’ victims. How cool is that, eh?
The rest of the city remains likewise frozen in time. Ordinary objects tell the story of everyday life. This is as valuable to archaeologists as the great unearthed statues and frescoes. The first human remains were found at Herculaneum in 1982. Hundreds of skeletons bear ghastly burn marks, testifying to horrifying deaths.
Today, Mount Vesuvius is the only active volcano on the European mainland. The last eruption was in 1944. The last major eruption occurred in 1631. Another will almost certainly happen soon, a devastating event for many living in the “death zones” nearby.
Word to the wise: Get out while you can!
