Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

The 79 CE Plinian eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii, Herculaneum, and nearby Roman settlements in ash, pumice, and pyroclastic flows.

Plinian eruption: A sustained explosive eruption that sends a towering column of gas and volcanic fragments into the atmosphere. The 79 CE event is a classic example of this eruption style.
Pompeii: An ancient Roman city near Naples, preserved beneath volcanic deposits after Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. Its streets and buildings were buried chiefly by pumice fall and ash.
Pliny the Younger: A Roman author and administrator whose letters describe the 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius. His eyewitness account gave Plinian eruptions their name.
Excavations of Pompeii: The archaeological investigations that uncovered the buried Roman city of Pompeii. Excavation revealed streets, homes, and objects sealed by the eruption.
Volcanic ash: Fine fragments of volcanic rock and glass expelled during an eruption. Ash fall blanketed settlements and preserved buildings and objects.
Herculaneum: An ancient Roman town west of Vesuvius, buried by volcanic deposits in 79 CE. Hot pyroclastic currents buried the town more deeply than Pompeii.
Pliny the Elder: A Roman naturalist and fleet commander who died during the 79 CE Vesuvius eruption. He sailed toward the eruption to assist people and investigate it.
Plaster casts of Pompeii: Molds made by pouring plaster into cavities left by decomposed bodies in Pompeii's ash deposits. They preserve the positions of some victims in the deposits.
Pumice: A highly vesicular volcanic rock formed when gas-rich magma cools rapidly. Thick pumice fall accumulated over Pompeii during the early eruptive phase.
Oplontis: An ancient Roman settlement near Pompeii, known especially for its excavated villas. Its villas were also buried during the 79 CE eruption.

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Titus (Roman emperor)Related: Titus organized relief for communities devastated by the eruption during his first year as emperor.