Was it a mistake?
Mount Vesuvius burst in AD 79. The eruption buried Oplontis and Pompeii under rock fragments and rocks, while Herculaneum was submerged under a mudflow.
Mount Vesuvius on the West Coast of Italy is the only volcano active in Europe. This volcano is considered to be the most dangerous in the world.
Every single resident died instantly when the southern Italian town was hit by a 500°C pyroclastic hot surge.
Pyroclastic flows, a dense accumulation of hot gases and volcanic materials flowing down the flank of an active volcano at high speeds, are called Pyroclastic.
They are more dangerous than lava because they travel faster, at speeds of around 450mph (700 km/h), and at temperatures of 1,000°C.
Pliny, a poet and administrator called Pliny the Young watched from afar the unfolding disaster.
In the 16th century, letters describing his experiences were discovered.
According to his writing, the eruption had caught Pompeii’s residents unaware.
Mount Vesuvius was erupted around the year AD79. It buried the cities of Pompeii and Oplontis under rock fragments and ashes, while the city of Herculaneum was submerged under a flood of mudflow.
According to him, a cloud of smoke rose like an umbrella pine from the volcano. It made the surrounding towns as dark as night.
Many ran, some screamed and others ran to their deaths as ash and pumice fell.
Although the eruption was brief, it lasted approximately 24 hours. The first pyroclastic waves began around midnight and caused the column of the volcano to burst.
A torrent of poisonous gas, hot ash and rock rushed at speeds of 124 mph (299kph) down the slope of the volcano. It buried victims and left behind remnants of every day life.
Many hundreds of people fled to the Herculaneum seaside, holding their money and jewelry.
The Orto dei fuggiaschi is a display of 13 victims who died trying to flee Pompeii in the 79 AD volcanic eruption at Vesuvius.
The surge blanketed the bodies of those who fled Pompeii and hid inside their homes.
Pliny could not determine how many died but it was described by Pliny as an ‘exceptional event’. It is believed that more than 10,000 people were killed.
They found what?
The event not only ended the city’s life but also preserved it until archaeologists discovered them nearly 1700 years later.
It has provided unparalleled insights into Roman life through the discovery of Pompeii (the industrial heart of the area) and Herculaneum (a small resort on the coast).
The ash-covered city is constantly being excavated by archaeologists.
Archaeologists found a passageway lined with grand houses in May. Their balconies are mostly still intact, and they retain their original color.
Cast of a plaster dog taken from Pompeii House of Orpheus. It is believed that around 33,000 people died during the chaos. Many bodies have yet to be found.
Some balconies also had amphorae, the cylindrical-shaped terra-cotta vessels that held wine or oil during ancient Roman times.
It has been called a “complete novelty” and the Italian Culture Ministry hopes that they will be restored and open to the public.
The ruins of an ancient city are void of any upper stores. They were destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius volcano, and then buried beneath up to 6 meters of volcanic rubble and ash.
Around 30.000 people were believed to have been killed in the chaos. There are still bodies being recovered to this day.