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The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD<\/strong> is known as one of the most catastrophic and violent events in history, which changed the face of Roman Campania forever. The cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Oplontis <\/strong>were buried under a blanket of ash, lapilli, and pyroclastic flows, suddenly losing their economic, social, and cultural vitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most famous volcanic eruptions, it was perfectly described by Pliny the Younger<\/strong>, who witnessed the terrible event with his own eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An eruption that, as he himself reported, lasted about three days. First, the volcano emitted ash and lapilli, which, due to the direction of the winds blowing southward, struck Pompeii, covering it with about three meters of material. Then, when it seemed to have stopped, it suddenly resumed with unprecedented force. \u201cA gigantic pine tree more than 20 km high rose into the sky and collapsed along the walls of the volcano, overwhelming all the cities on its slopes.\u201d<\/em> It was the pyroclastic flow, a mixture of ash, water vapor at very high temperatures (about 400\u00b0C) and gas that devastated everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of the population of Pompeii was unable to escape: thousands of people died trapped in their homes, temples, and streets. However, some sources and archaeological finds indicate that there were also numerous survivors who fled to the coastal areas or the surrounding hills. To date, it is estimated that about 10% of the population died.<\/strong> This figure is still uncertain and cannot be quantified with certainty, considering that the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum have not yet been fully excavated. New remains and sensational discoveries could still come to light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the aftermath of the terrible eruption of 79 AD, the area at the foot of Vesuvius appeared deserted and barren, with vegetation and life wiped out forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, just a few days after the terrible tragedy, Emperor Titus<\/strong> attempted to reorganize the area in an effort to revive the economy of what had been one of the most important regions of the empire. In fact, large and small towns and the entire road network had been completely wiped out in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the seasons passed, life slowly resumed in this area, starting with the areas furthest from the volcano, with the reconstruction of the main roads and some towns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Herculaneum and Pompeii suffered a different, harsher fate: they were never rebuilt. Emperor Titus was unable to bring these most important cities in history back to life with the means and resources available 2,000 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut what happened after the eruption of 79 AD?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n