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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 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 an 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, and though  Pliny the Elder, who might have  been asthmatic,  slept, yet upon attempting to leave the   next morning he was overcome by the flames and sulfur and he passed out and died. A few of his men did make made it  Misenum and Gaius heard the news about his uncle. Later, 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.  

Then the flames and smell of sulphur which gave warning of the approaching fire drove the others to take flight and roused him to stand up. He stood leaning on two slaves and then suddenly collapsed, I imagine because the dense, fumes choked his breathing by blocking his windpipe which was constitutionally weak and narrow and often inflamed. When daylight returned on the 26th - two days after the last day he had been seen - his body was found intact and uninjured, still fully clothed and looking more like sleep than death.<ref>"The Destruction of Pompeii, 79 AD," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (1999).</ref>}}

Then the flames and smell of sulphur which gave warning of the approaching fire drove the others to take flight and roused him to stand up. He stood leaning on two slaves and then suddenly collapsed, I imagine because the dense, fumes choked his breathing by blocking his windpipe which was constitutionally weak and narrow and often inflamed. When daylight returned on the 26th - two days after the last day he had been seen - his body was found intact and uninjured, still fully clothed and looking more like sleep than death.<ref>"The Destruction of Pompeii, 79 AD," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (1999).</ref>}}

   

   

Yet overall it appears that the first day eruption claimed few victims, leaving many hundreds on the morning of 25 August groping around in a grey pumice desert. Many flat roofs caved in due to the weight, killing some of the inhabitants. Outside some others were struck down by  falling objects. However, the worst was yet to come, and the final six hours or so of the eruption would be its most lethal.

But overall it appears that the first day eruption claimed few victims, leaving many hundreds on the morning of 25 August groping around in a grey pumice desert. Many flat roofs caved in due to the weight, killing some of the inhabitants. Outside others groped through loose pumice seeking their escape, and some were struck down by  falling objects. However, the worst was yet to come, and the final six hours or so of the eruption would be its most lethal.

''Current Archaeology'' understands that  

''Current Archaeology'' understands that  

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 eventually covered Pompeii in a layer more than 30 feet thick.<ref>http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/europe/pompeii.html</ref> Eventually even knowledge of where they had lain was lost.

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

By late afternoon on the next day the force of the eruption was largely exhausted, and by the morning of August 26 conditions were calm. The amount of thermal energy unleashed by Vesuvius during the eruption is estimated to be 100,000 times greater than that of the atomic bomb explosion at Hiroshima.  

By late afternoon on the next day the force of the eruption was largely exhausted, and by the morning of August 26 was calm. The amount of thermal energy unleashed by Vesuvius during the eruption is estimated to be 100,000 times greater than that of the atomic bomb explosion at Hiroshima. Eventually even knowledge of where they had lain was lost.

   

   

The inhabitants of Herculaneum, the sister city of Pompeii, were once thought to have escaped. However, excavations on the ancient waterfront in 1980 revealed hundreds of them, huddled on the beach and in boatsheds where they had died, trapped between a burning gas cloud and seismic sea on which they hoped to escape.<ref>http://www.archaeology.co.uk/world-features/visiting-pompeii/page-3.htm</ref>  

The inhabitants of Herculaneum, the sister city of Pompeii, were once thought to have escaped. However, excavations on the ancient waterfront in 1980 revealed hundreds of them, huddled on the beach and in boatsheds where they had died, trapped between a burning gas cloud and seismic sea where they hoped to escape.<ref>http://www.archaeology.co.uk/world-features/visiting-pompeii/page-3.htm</ref>  

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.