Pompeii; The Eruption That Buried Pompeii

Ever wondered what happened on one October day in 79 AD at Pompeii. Well, Pliny recounted the whole story of the world famous Vesuvius erupting in his letters, praising his uncle. Here’s how the fate of the city was established, leaving a huge mark in history....

The city of Pompeii is famous because it was destroyed by the deadly volcano Vesuvius, covering it in at least 19 feet (6m) of ash and volcanic debris, which killed several thousands of people. The discoveries of this quick burial were uncovered to the amazement of archaeologists. There were many life size human casts remaining, having been preserved by the pyroclastic flows hitting them, with the bodies being covered by calcified layers of ash. Among these were people going about their own business before they were struck by the force of these flows, having towered from the mountain in less than 10 minutes. Some were inches from escaping, whereas others were enjoying their final moments as we see a cast of a woman and a man kissing. These casts are precious items now and are often analyses to figure out the person’s relation, job, life style and age. 

Visiting the city of Pompeii, you can view Vesuvius looming in the clouds above the Bay of Naples, imagining the situation felt by the people of that time, trying desperately to flee the area. Casts still lie to be seen to show the lack of time there was to escape the danger, as much to everyone’s eager eyes to gaze at whilst exploring the uninhabited town, housing so much history. 

History was made when one man who came to aid people in Pompeii; this man named Pliny the Elder. Tacitus asked for Pliny the Younger (nephew of Pliny the Elder) for an account of his uncle’s tragic death, as well as a description of the eruption itself to gain context. 

Pliny the Elder was from Misenum, and lived with his family and his nephew in a villa across the Bay of Naples. They had a very clear view over Vesuvius. One morning a cloud started to ascend behind the mountain, but the appearance was uncertain at that distance away. Pliny the Younger couldn’t give a more exact description other than it “shooting up to a great height with a large trunk, spreading various branches to resemble a pine tree.”

Pliny the Younger, being 17 years old at the time of the eruption, witnessed his uncle leave his home to sail across to Herculaneum, directly into the danger as he continuously noted the movements and shapes of the cloud that came from the volcano. 

 Herculaneum lies North West of Pompeii and almost due West of Vesuvius, where there was a harbour. Here, Pliny the Elder sent several boats to rescue the survivors from the beach at Herculaneum, where at least 300 people had fled and lay in waiting for Pliny to come to their aid. 

Meanwhile Pliny the Younger, having declined the offer to go with his uncle to Herculaneum, carried on with his literary assignment who his uncle himself had actually set him. This was the beginning of Pliny’s literary career, and soon he would recount his uncle’s death and achievements during the eruption 25 years later. 

Pliny the Younger managed to compose an accurate description of his uncle and his valiant behaviour to head to Pompeii to save as many people as possible. He was presented as a true hero! 

Unfortunately, upon arriving in Pompeii, Pliny (the Elder) fell ill as he was  overcome by the volcanic fumes and died on the shores of Stabiae.

 Pliny the Elder’s heroic qualities remain depicted throughout Pliny’s letters and, eventually, became a crucial keystone to showing people what happened that dreaded day in Pompeii.