Background- The eruption of Mt Vesuvius
The Mt Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD is perhaps the worlds most famous volcanic eruption of all time. The eruption is most famous for preserving Herculaneum and Pompeii which were ancient towns in Rome 79 AD.
The type of eruption that occurred was a 'Plinian' eruption, named after Pliny the younger for his detailed description of the eruption. According to Pliny the eruption began on the 24 of August 79 AD and produced a cloud of 'Tephra' ( ash and other types of material) 66,000 meters into the air. Ash and pumice is then said to have fallen on towns surrounding Mt Vesuvius for 18 hours after the first eruption.
"Ashes were already falling, not as yet very thickly. I looked round: a dense black cloud was coming up behind us, spreading over the earth like a flood.' let us leave the road while we can still see, I said,' or we shell be knocked down and trampled underfoot in the dark by the crowd behind.' we had scarcely sat down to rest when darkness fell, not a not the dark of a moonless or cloud night, but as if the lamp had been put out in a closed room." (second letter to Tacius- Shrieks of the people.)
The type of eruption that occurred was a 'Plinian' eruption, named after Pliny the younger for his detailed description of the eruption. According to Pliny the eruption began on the 24 of August 79 AD and produced a cloud of 'Tephra' ( ash and other types of material) 66,000 meters into the air. Ash and pumice is then said to have fallen on towns surrounding Mt Vesuvius for 18 hours after the first eruption.
"Ashes were already falling, not as yet very thickly. I looked round: a dense black cloud was coming up behind us, spreading over the earth like a flood.' let us leave the road while we can still see, I said,' or we shell be knocked down and trampled underfoot in the dark by the crowd behind.' we had scarcely sat down to rest when darkness fell, not a not the dark of a moonless or cloud night, but as if the lamp had been put out in a closed room." (second letter to Tacius- Shrieks of the people.)
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Prior to the eruption in 79 AD there was a major earthquake
in February of 62 AD. The quake began underneath Mt Vesuvius and ruined many
building surrounding the volcano. Reconstruction on the towns affected by the
quake was still taking place. The quake lasted for several days, after which a
few minor quakes occurred over the next couple of years.