preview

Pompeii : The Eruption Of Vesuvius

Decent Essays

Pompeii

One of the volcanoes that are looked to for answers on modern day volcanic eruptions is Mount Vesuvius which is located in Pompeii. This particular volcano erupted in 79 AD. Scientists and archaeologists believe that approximately 13 to 20 feet of ash and lava were sent into the atmosphere and buried the cities of Pompeii, Herculancum and many other cities in the vicinity. Over 1500 years would pass before the stories of this volcano and the people that lived there would start surfacing.

On August 24, 79 AD Mount Vesuvius a volcano in Pompeii erupted, spewing tons of molten ash into the atmosphere. In 1748, archaeologists started excavating this land to get some insight into the Roman Empire, that was literally buried because of this volcanic activity. It is believed that during the Roman Empire Pompeii was an active, thriving civilization, and within a matter of hours/days, the civilization ceased to exist as a result of Mount Vesuvius erupting.

Pompeii is located near an area which is now known as Naples, Italy. At the time that Mount Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was located closer to the mouth of the Sarno River. Modern day Pompei (which is now only spelled with one ‘I’) is considerably more inland than its predecessor. Current day excavations indicate that Pompeii had suffered through multiple seismic events before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pompeii was created in the 6th or 7th century by the Oscans. At some point during the 4th Century AD, the

Get Access