Imagine an unknown city. One day it’s there, and the next it’s buried under volcanic ash for 2,000 years until someone discoveres it again. Such was the story of the Roman city of Pompeii, the city which in 79 A.D. was buried by the most famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy. Two thousand people died that day, and the city was abandoned until a group of explorers rediscovered it in 1748. What exactly was discovered? To the surprise of those explorers, Pompeii was mostly intact with its buildings, artifacts, and skeletons left behind in the city that was buried alive. It’s proved to be an insight into what everyday life was like back then.
Pompeii was close in lifestyle to what places like a resort would be like today, only back then. An attractive area to live for wealthy vacationers, many people came to enjoy the sun and the scenery. It became a popular resort for many of Rome’s distinguished citizens, with elegant houses and even paved streets. There was a 20,000 arena, marketplaces, bathhouses, cafes, and brothels. Scholars estimate that on the night before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, there were roughly 20,000 people living in Pompeii or in the surrounding region. This large amount of people consisted of tourists, those who lived in Pompeii on a constant basis, and slaves.
Before we continue to talk about what happened on that day, let’s talk a little about Mount Vesuvius, the volcano who has erupted more than 50 times and is responsible for plunging a whole city into darkness. Where there any warning signs that could have told people that they should have left the area. Scholars say that many people overlooked the mountain’s “bad temper” just to be able to stay in such a pleasant spot. There was a massive earthquake in 63 A.D., sixteen years before the eruption. Scientists claim that this was a natural warning to the people of the disaster. However, this was a warning that went unheeded because thousands of people still traveled to the area each year.
On the day of the eruption, the blast sent ashes, pumice, other rocks, and hot volcanic gases into the sky. This could be seen by people hundreds of miles away. Once this debris cooled, it drifted to the earth as ash and then as chunks of pumice and other rocks. Most of the people had time to flee, but those who chose to stay behind experienced conditions that grew worse. The falling ash clogged the air, making it difficult to breath. Buildings collapsed. Finally, a “100-miles-per-hour surge of superheated poison gas and pulverized rock” came down the mountain and swallowed everything and everyone. Pompeii was then abandoned for centuries.
The group of explorers who found Pompeii was originally looking for ancient artifacts. They found what the ashes preserved, and what was preserved was remarkable. Today, Mount Vesuvius has not erupted since 1944, but it is still one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. Experts say that we are due for anyone eruption any day, which would be another catastrophe since almost three million people live within 20 miles of the volcano to this day.
