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{{cquote|On August 24, about one in the afternoon, my mother drew my uncle's attention to a cloud of unusual size and appearance. It was not clear from a distance as to which mountain the cloud was rising from, although it was afterward known to be Vesuvius. The cloud's appearance can best be described as looking like an umbrella pine (Mediterranean pine tree), for it rose to a great height on sort of a trunk and then split off into branches. I believe, because it was first driven by a sudden gust of air, then, with its diminution or because of the weight, the cloud expanded laterally, sometimes white, sometimes dark and stained by the sustained sand and ash.}}

{{cquote|On August 24, about one in the afternoon, my mother drew my uncle's attention to a cloud of unusual size and appearance. It was not clear from a distance as to which mountain the cloud was rising from, although it was afterward known to be Vesuvius. The cloud's appearance can best be described as looking like an umbrella pine (Mediterranean pine tree), for it rose to a great height on sort of a trunk and then split off into branches. I believe, because it was first driven by a sudden gust of air, then, with its diminution or because of the weight, the cloud expanded laterally, sometimes white, sometimes dark and stained by the sustained sand and ash.}}

Realizing Vesuvius was erupting, his uncle, Pliny the Elder, commander of the naval fleet at Misenum, ordered warships be launched which he took across the bay to rescue whoever he could. Landing there proved impossible due to the the hot, thick ashes and pumice (large chunks of lava), and so Pliny headed for Stabiae, a city 3 miles south of Pompeii, to the home of Pomponianus, a friend. . Because of the opposing wind, the decision was made to stay overnight and to leave at daybreak and attempt to rescue others.  Meanwhile on Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasized by the darkness of night. Pliny the Elder slept, yet upon attempting to leave the next morning he was overcome by the flames and sulfur (being evidently asthmatic), and passed out and died. Some of his men did escape, and Misenum and Gaius heard the news about his uncle. Later, Gaius wrote to Tacitus of the morning of his father's death:

Realizing Vesuvius was erupting, his uncle, Pliny the Elder, commander of the naval fleet at Misenum, ordered warships be launched which he took across the bay to rescue whoever he could. Landing there proved impossible due to the hot, thick ashes and pumice (large chunks of lava), and so Pliny headed for Stabiae, a city 3 miles south of Pompeii, to the home of Pomponianus, a friend. . Because of the opposing wind, the decision was made to stay overnight and to leave at daybreak and attempt to rescue others.  Meanwhile, on Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasized by the darkness of night. Pliny the Elder slept, yet upon attempting to leave the next morning he was overcome by the flames and sulfur (being evidently asthmatic), and passed out and died. Some of his men did escape, and Misenum and Gaius heard the news about his uncle. Later, Gaius wrote to Tacitus of the morning of his father's death:

{{cquote|Elsewhere there was daylight by this time, but they were still in darkness, blacker and denser than any ordinary night, which they relieved by lighting torches and various kinds of lamp. My uncle decided to go down to the shore and investigate on the spot the possibility of any escape by sea, but he found the waves still wild and dangerous. A sheet was spread on the ground for him to lie down, and he repeatedly asked for cold water to drink.  

{{cquote|Elsewhere there was daylight by this time, but they were still in darkness, blacker and denser than any ordinary night, which they relieved by lighting torches and various kinds of lamp. My uncle decided to go down to the shore and investigate on the spot the possibility of any escape by sea, but he found the waves still wild and dangerous. A sheet was spread on the ground for him to lie down, and he repeatedly asked for cold water to drink.  

{{cquote|"even the sea seemed to roll back on itself, pushed back by earth tremors. Many fish were beached on the sand. In the other direction gaped a horrible black cloud torn by zigzag flashes and masses of flames, like lightning but much larger...at night time we were enveloped, not a moonless night or one dimmed by cloud, but the darkness of a sealed room without a lamp. After a while we were reached by another cloud - Again the obscurity, again the ash, dense and heavy. We raised some time to shake away the ash as we could have been covered and choked by its weight.

{{cquote|"even the sea seemed to roll back on itself, pushed back by earth tremors. Many fish were beached on the sand. In the other direction gaped a horrible black cloud torn by zigzag flashes and masses of flames, like lightning but much larger...at night time we were enveloped, not a moonless night or one dimmed by cloud, but the darkness of a sealed room without a lamp. After a while we were reached by another cloud - Again the obscurity, again the ash, dense and heavy. We raised some time to shake away the ash as we could have been covered and choked by its weight.

You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices. People bewailed their own fate or that of their relatives, and there were some who prayed for death in their terror of dying. Many besought the aid of the gods, but still more imagined there were no gods left, and that the universe was plunged into eternal darkness for evermore. <ref>http://www.bible-history.com/resource/ff_vesu.htm</ref>}}

You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices. People bewailed their own fate or that of their relatives, and there were some who prayed for death in their terror of dying. Many besought the aid of the gods, but still more imagined there were no gods left, and that the universe was plunged into eternal darkness for evermore.<ref>http://www.bible-history.com/resource/ff_vesu.htm</ref>}}

The bodies of those who did not escape were covered by the volcano's mineral deposits, which ultimately covered Pompeii in a layer more than 30 feet thick.<ref>http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/europe/pompeii.html</ref> Even knowledge of where the dead had lain would be lost.

The bodies of those who did not escape were covered by the volcano's mineral deposits, which ultimately covered Pompeii in a layer more than 30 feet thick.<ref>http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/europe/pompeii.html</ref> Even knowledge of where the dead had lain would be lost.

As a result of the eruption the top the volcano was obliterated, and divided into two smaller peaks. The column of ash was indicated to be around 20 miles tall. Since the great 79 A.D eruption Vesuvius has erupted over 30 times.   

As a result of the eruption the top the volcano was obliterated, and divided into two smaller peaks. The column of ash was indicated to be around 20 miles tall. Since the great 79 A.D eruption Vesuvius has erupted over 30 times.   

The eruption is thought to have lasted about 19 hours, releasing approx. 1 cubic mile of ash (mainly of leucite and phonolite) and rock over a large area to the south and south-east of Mount Vesuvius, with about  10 ft  of tephra raining down on Pompeii.   

The eruption is thought to have lasted about 19 hours, releasing approx. 1 cubic mile of ash (mainly of leucite and phonolite) and rock over a large area to the south and south-east of Mount Vesuvius, with about  10&nbsp;ft  of tephra raining down on Pompeii.   

Other records of the destruction of Herculaneum and Pompeii in writings such as those of Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) and in Dio Cassius (AD 150-235) who also reports that the ashes of the eruption reached Africa (the modern Libya), Syria and Egypt, and caused pestilence. <ref>[http://www.bible-history.com/resource/ff_vesu.htm Mount Vesuvius Eruption]</ref>

Other records of the destruction of Herculaneum and Pompeii in writings such as those of Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) and in Dio Cassius (AD 150-235) who also reports that the ashes of the eruption reached Africa (the modern Libya), Syria and Egypt, and caused pestilence.<ref>[http://www.bible-history.com/resource/ff_vesu.htm Mount Vesuvius Eruption]</ref>

==Archaeological discoveries==

==Archaeological discoveries==

In general, Pompeii provided a sobering commentary on the frailty of man. In particular,  

In general, Pompeii provided a sobering commentary on the frailty of man. In particular,  

It did so by compelling a personal identification with its victims. Because it was obliterated in the midst of life, Pompeii revealed to the modern world disturbing images of pathetic individuals stopped in recognizable domestic activities by the volcanic ash. Pompeii became a symbolic code word for what Madame de Stael calls "death's abrupt invasion." It fostered a dark literature of premature burial, natural calamity, and universal extinction.<ref>Centennial Review. 23 (1979): 229</ref>.

It did so by compelling a personal identification with its victims. Because it was obliterated in the midst of life, Pompeii revealed to the modern world disturbing images of pathetic individuals stopped in recognizable domestic activities by the volcanic ash. Pompeii became a symbolic code word for what Madame de Stael calls "death's abrupt invasion." It fostered a dark literature of premature burial, natural calamity, and universal extinction.<ref>Centennial Review. 23 (1979): 229</ref>

==External links==

==External links==