Although a relatively young volcano, vesuvius had been dormant for centuries before the great eruption of 79 ce that buried the cities of pompeii, oplontis, and stabiae under ashes and lapilli and the city of herculaneum under a mudflow. The 79 ad eruption of mount vesuvius was one of the worst disasters in all of european history. Pompeii just days before the deadly volcanic eruption of mount vesuvius. A day in pompeii, a melbourne winter masterpieces exhibition, was held at melbourne museum from 26 june to 25 october. Vesuvius is one of the most studied volcanoes in the world, because. Vesuvius gives us a riveting sense of the impending doom pompeii faced on august 2425. Nowadays, the sommavesuvius volcano does not seem to threaten people or. The sequence of events during the 79 ad eruption of vesuvius vesuvius is one of.
Vesuvius consists of a large cone partially encircled by the steep rim of a summit caldera caused by the collapse of an earlier and originally much higher structure. With pictures of modern volcanic eruptions, the authors take you step by step. Mount vesuvius is a volcano located in southern italy, near the city of naples. This riveting read aloud includes a text summary, readaloud passage, language and vocabulary tips, and discussion and writing prompts. This eruption is one of the deadliest in european history mount vesuvius violently spewed forth a deadly cloud of superheated tephra and gases to a height of 33 km 21 mi, ejecting molten rock, pulverized pumice and hot ash at 1. Mount vesuvius, in what is now southern italy, erupted in ad 79, spewing volcanic rock, clouds of fine ash. The eruption of mount vesuvius bible history online. Eruption of mount vesuvius of 79 ad on august 24 th, 79 ad, mount vesuvius awoke, a volcano once thought to be extinct erupted covering the surrounding cities and those that remained in it with pumice, ash and debris cameron, 2006. Over 3 million people live in the immediate area of mt vesuvius.
The column of volcanic pumice, hot gasses and ash, pushed upwards of 9 miles into the atmosphere and spread across the skyline like black ink on blotting paper. It comprises the older volcano, the somma, whose summit collapsed likely during the 79 ad eruption, creating a caldera, and the younger volcano, vesuvius, which since then has regrown inside this caldera and formed a new cone. The discussion of the eruption of vesuvius in 79 ad is the focus of the book, and it is very thorough. More people live dangerously close to it than to any other volcano anywhere in the world. This eruption is one of the deadliest in european history. Its a typical summer day in the beautiful city of pompeii in the year 79 a. For this reason, shecter says she set the book in october of 79 ad. Eruption of mount vesuvius of 79 ad bodies of mount vesuvius. The eruption destroyed pompeii, herculaneum, oplonti and stabiae and. The volcano is renown for the eruption that occurred there nearly two millennia ago. Of the many eruptions of mount vesuvius in italy, the most famous is the eruption in 79 ad. The sommavesuvius activity with a focus to the ad 79 eruption. Pdf the eruption of vesuvius of 79 ad and its impact on human.
The writer pliny the younger, who was staying at a place west of naples, gave an excellent. This book looks at the rise, fall, and rediscovery of the great city of pompeii. Mount vesuvius, a volcano near the bay of naples in italy, has erupted more than 50 times. An enormous dark cloud shrouded the blue sky above the volcano. In 79 ad, mount vesuvius surprised italy with a terrifying eruption that left a mark on history. In a near instant, over 15,000 people were dead and a city was completely destroyed. I had known from my study of ancient history that the event was described in some detail by pliny the younger in a pair of letters describing his uncles death the senator and natural scientist pliny the elder who died near pompeii attempting to rescue people fleeing from the area for a family friend. Vesuvius probably originated somewhat less than 200,000 years ago.
Pompeii was buried about 2040 feet underground and herculaneum about 6075 feet. The eruption of mount vesuvius in ad 79 destroyed the roman cities of pompeii, herculaneum, oplontis and stabiae, as well as several other settlements. A history of the city and the eruption of mount vesuvius. Nearly 2,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption destroyed the city of pompeii. At 1 pm on 24 august, mount vesuvius announced its awakening with a violent eruption.
1079 262 1632 538 737 1533 189 990 1362 249 123 1463 728 1014 477 1587 981 1542 1648 237 457 507 222 1660 725 752 879 629 779 221 1585 976 1272 308 905 991 620 886