The eruption of October 24, 79 AD that completely destroyed Pompeii is remembered as the most catastrophic and violent in history. It was a frightening eruption that completely took by surprise all the inhabitants of the crowded city of Pompeii, who had no time to escape and died buried by the ash of Vesuvius.
What happened during the eruption that destroyed Pompeii
It was an ordinary day that October 24, 79 A.D.. Pompeians woke up and began their daily day unaware of what would happen a few hours later.
They were busy as usual between work, home renovations, games, and public life. When suddenly around 1 p.m. their lives were disrupted and for some erased forever.
Suddenly a terrifying roar was heard, intense smoke began to rise from the mouth of Vesuvius, and piles of debris and huge rocks were hurled miles away. The sun darkened and the air began to become unbreathable. Day was turned into night and nothing could be heard but screams and the incessant falling of stones.
Shocked and astonished Pompeiians began their flight to safety, while others fled to their homes in search of shelter from the falling lapilli.
It took only a few hours for Pompeii to be covered by meters of volcanic stones.
The roofs of houses and stores during the night began to collapse under the weight of ash and lapilli, the streets were invaded by volcanic material and became impassable. Many Pompeians began to lose their lives crushed by the falling roofs of their houses, others swept away by huge, skin-piercing rocks.
The night passed, and the following morning the fall of lapilli suddenly stopped. At last the quiet seemed to have arrived, or at least that is what the Pompeians thought, but the force of Vesuvius did not stop.
Suddenly with even more devastating and terrifying power than it had been in the previous hours, a huge cloud of smoke rose from the mouth of the volcano, reaching up to the sky, more than 20 meters high and collapsing along the sides of the mountain, overwhelming everything. (This is what Pliny the Younger describes in his letter to his friend Tacitus.)
It was the powerful pyroclastic flow, gas, 400° water vapor and ash. A glowing cloud that covered Pompeii and its inhabitants, bringing death and devastation.
Those on the streets died instantly charred, others asphyxiated by the powerful gases escaping from the volcano, others walled in their homes from the accumulation of debris.
The death toll in Pompeii
A terrifying and unprecedented eruption that of Pompeii lasted 3 days and will be remembered by all as the most violent in history.
About one-tenth of Pompeii’s population died during the eruption, nearly 2,000 people. Others managed to escape and find safety.
However, there is no certain record of all of Pompeii’s survivors. Archaeologists have only partly been able to reconstruct what happened thanks to inscriptions and documents of survivors found in other cities near the volcano, such as Naples, Cumae, and Ostia.
Pompeii’s eruption preserved the ancient Roman city
The eruption of Pompeii was an unprecedented tragedy, remembered for death, devastation, terror. But it also had an incredible effect that has never occurred for any other city in the world-the perfect preservation of an ancient Roman city.
The volcanic ash, in fact, that was deposited on the city acted as a “protective blanket,” sealing and preserving the buildings, objects, and even the bodies of the victims. This allowed a full immersion into the life of a city with more than 2,000 years of history. Revealing lifestyles, religious and cultural beliefs and opening an important window into the daily life of ancient Rome.
An incredible and wonderful legacy that is also the result of the intense and important work of archaeologists. Who to this day continue to excavate bringing to light all the heritage left by Pompeii.
Only with an expert guide can you learn, discover, appreciate and fully immerse yourself in the history of Pompeii’s eruption.
Don’t miss the opportunity to admire this unique city with someone who will be able to guide you to discover the true history and culture of Pompeii.
