| As the residents of Herculaneum and Pompeii pursued | | | | which was inaccessible and head for Stabiae.[38] |
| their daily activities, a few wisps of smoke trickled | | | | By 3:00 PM some of the residents of Pompeii were |
| from Vesuvius’ crater at approximately 10:00 | | | | also fleeing as they realized the earthquakes and |
| AM.[27] It went unseen. | | | | eruption weren’t ceasing. People “ran in |
| Next, at about 12:00 noon a steady, unbroken plume of | | | | different directions; some Pompeiians [sought] refuge in |
| smoke suddenly rose 9 miles into the air from Mt. | | | | Moregine. Others head[ed] in the direction of… |
| Vesuvius as tremors rattled Pompeii, Herculaneum, | | | | Nuceria. And still others [fled] to the |
| Oplontis, Terzigno, and their surroundings. “In | | | | seaport…”[39] Soon it became apparent |
| Campania, remarkable and frightful occurrences took | | | | that “an escape by sea [was] futile.”[40] |
| place; for a great fire suddenly flared up at the very | | | | However, by 6:00 PM, the volcanic eruption appeared |
| end of the summer. It happened on the wise Mt. | | | | to be easing. As the eruption’s intensity eased, |
| Vesuvius,” Dio Cassius wrote in describing the | | | | exhausted Pompeiian survivors emerged from buildings |
| eruption.[28] | | | | in search of an escape route. Individually and in small |
| Initially upon seeing the towering noontime volcanic | | | | groups, “they trudged towards the southern |
| column, people were awed and astonished. Then, | | | | sector of the urban area in the hope of reaching the |
| within minutes as a thick rain of hot lapilli (Latin term for | | | | roads at the edge of the city.”[41] By this time, |
| “small stones”),[29] pumice and ash began | | | | Pliny the Elder had arrived at Stabiae to meet up with |
| to fall on Pompeii, Oplontis, and Terzigno, carried by | | | | his friend. By this time, Pliny the Younger was |
| strong northwest winds pushing it to the southeast, the | | | | completing his studies from the safety of Misenum. |
| towns’ people hurriedly sought immediate shelter. | | | | “…I finished up my studies, as I had planned. |
| Soon the hot lapilli and ash were falling at a rate of | | | | Then I had a bath, then dinner and a short and |
| about 4.75-6 inches per hour as deafening noises | | | | unsatisfactory night.”[42] At the same time, |
| emanated from the volcano and a continuous stream | | | | some, mistakenly believing that the worst was over, |
| of strong earthquakes shook the area. Upon hearing | | | | began returning to survey the damage and salvage |
| the loud explosions, many who had not left in the | | | | their belongings. |
| morning, fled back into their houses as others | | | | By 7:30 PM, Pompeii experienced the first roof |
| continued their retreat towards Pompeii and the coast | | | | collapses. In addition, a few fires, caused by |
| of Oplontis, and as “pumice clasts comprised of | | | | “fallen lanterns,” burned, illuminating the town |
| tephra” with diameters of up to 3 inches rained | | | | in the “unnatural darkness.”[43] |
| down at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour, roofs and | | | | Then after about two hours of respite, shortly after |
| structures suffered damage while people in the streets | | | | 8:00 PM, the intensity of the volcanic eruption picked |
| suffered injuries, a few fatal.[30] | | | | up. Falling lapilli and ash again rained down. As it fell on |
| By 1:00 PM, “the carapace of rock sealing | | | | Pompeii and Stabiae, Pliny the Elder was awaiting |
| [Vesuvius] was blown out”[31] shooting some 10 | | | | favorable winds to depart” as recounted by his |
| miles into the air,[32] sending up a thick, dark cloud of | | | | son: “At Stabiae, on the other side of the bay |
| dust and ash that blocked the sun, casting Pompeii and | | | | formed by the gradually curving shore, Pomponianus |
| its surrounding areas into total darkness. | | | | had loaded up his ships even before the danger |
| “…suddenly a portentous crash was heard, | | | | arrived, though it was visible and indeed extremely |
| as if the mountains were tumbling in ruins; and first | | | | close, once it intensified. He planned to put out as soon |
| huge stones were hurled aloft, rising as high as the | | | | as the contrary wind let up. That very wind carried my |
| very summits, then came a great quantity of fire and | | | | uncle right in, and he embraced the frightened man and |
| endless smoke, so that the whole atmosphere was | | | | gave him comfort and courage. In order to lessen the |
| obscured and the sun was entirely hidden, as if | | | | other's fear by showing his own unconcern he asked |
| eclipsed. Thus day was turned into night and light into | | | | to be taken to the baths. He bathed and dined, |
| darkness,” Dio Cassius wrote.[33] | | | | carefree or at least appearing so (which is equally |
| When darkness enveloped the area as hot lapilli and | | | | impressive). Meanwhile, broad sheets of flame were |
| ash rained down, many in Herculaneum realized it was | | | | lighting up many parts of Vesuvius; their light and |
| time to flee. People “stopped to gather what | | | | brightness were the more vivid for the darkness of |
| belongings they could: money, jewelry, the family dog. | | | | the night. To alleviate people's fears my uncle claimed |
| Everybody rushed into the streets. Some thought the | | | | that the flames came from the deserted homes of |
| sea was their route to safety; those who didn’t | | | | farmers who had left in a panic with the hearth fires |
| try to escape on boats assembled on the | | | | still alight. Then he rested, and gave every indication of |
| beach”[34] while others fled on foot towards | | | | actually sleeping; people who passed by his door heard |
| Naples, “which ultimately proved to be the only | | | | his snores, which were rather resonant since he was |
| path to safety.”[35] | | | | a heavy man. The ground outside his room rose so |
| There was widespread panic and chaos as people | | | | high with the mixture of ash and stones that if he had |
| ran for safety. As they fled, in the words of Dio | | | | spent any more time there escape would have been |
| Cassius, “some [ran] from the houses into the | | | | impossible. He got up and came out, restoring himself |
| streets, others from outside into the houses, now from | | | | to Pomponianus and the others who had been unable |
| the sea to the land and now from the land to the sea; | | | | to sleep. They discussed what to do, whether to |
| for in their excitement they regarded any place where | | | | remain under cover or to try the open air. The buildings |
| they were not as safer than where they were. | | | | were being rocked by a series of strong tremors, and |
| [Furthermore] While this was going on, an inconceivable | | | | appeared to have come loose from their foundations |
| quantity of ashes was blown out, which covered both | | | | and to be sliding this way and that. Outside, however, |
| sea and land and filled all the air. It wrought much injury | | | | there was danger from the rocks that were coming |
| of various kinds, as chance befell, to men and farms | | | | down, light and fire-consumed as these bits of pumice |
| and cattle, and in particular it destroyed all fish and | | | | were. Weighing the relative dangers they chose the |
| birds.”[36] | | | | outdoors; in my uncle's case it was a rational decision, |
| It was about this time that Pliny the Elder, serving in | | | | others just chose the alternative that frightened them |
| Misenum as admiral of the fleet was notified of the | | | | the least. They tied pillows on top of their heads as |
| eruption as recounted by his son: | | | | protection against the shower of rock… the |
| “…between 2 and 3 in the afternoon my | | | | darkness was darker and thicker than any night. But |
| mother drew his attention to a cloud of unusual size | | | | they had torches and other lights. They decided to go |
| and appearance. He had had a sunbath, then a cold | | | | down to the shore, to see from close up if anything |
| bath, and was reclining after dinner with his books. He | | | | was possible by sea. But it remained as rough and |
| called for his shoes and climbed up to where he could | | | | uncooperative as before. Resting in the shade of a sail |
| get the best view of the phenomenon. The cloud was | | | | he drank once or twice from the cold water he had |
| rising from a mountain-at such a distance we couldn't | | | | asked for”[44] for escape by sea was |
| tell which, but afterwards learned that it was Vesuvius. | | | | impossible due to strong opposing winds. |
| I can best describe its shape by likening it to a pine | | | | Continued in Part 3 of 3 |
| tree. It rose into the sky on a very long | | | | _____________________________ |
| ‘trunk’ from which spread some | | | | [27]Salvatore Nappo. Pompeii: A Guide to the Ancient |
| ‘branches.’ I imagine it had been raised by | | | | City. (New York: Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc., |
| a sudden blast, which then weakened, leaving the | | | | 1998), p. 13. |
| cloud unsupported so that its own weight caused it to | | | | [28]Dio Cassius. The Eruption of Vesuvius that buried |
| spread sideways. Some of the cloud was white, in | | | | Pompei, “Roman History Epitome of Book |
| other parts there were dark patches of dirt and ash. | | | | LXVI” (A.D. 203) 2 May, 2006. [ |
| The sight of it made the scientist in my uncle | | | | [29]Bonnie S. Lawrence, Project Editor. Restless Earth. |
| determined to see it from closer at hand. | | | | (Washington, D.C.: The National Geographic Society, |
| He ordered a boat made ready. He offered me the | | | | 1997), p. 191. |
| opportunity of going along, but I preferred to study | | | | [30]The ad79 Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. University of |
| – he himself happened to have set me a writing | | | | Michigan. 2005. 30 April, 2006. |
| exercise. As he was leaving the house he was | | | | [31]AD 79 – Vesuvius explodes. 5 of May, 2006. |
| brought a letter from Tascius' wife Rectina, who was | | | | [32]Science and geology of volcanos. 8 May, 2006. |
| terrified by the looming danger. Her villa lay at the foot | | | | [33]Dio Cassius. The Eruption of Vesuvius that buried |
| of Vesuvius, and there was no way out except by | | | | Pompei, “Roman History Epitome of Book |
| boat. She begged him to get her away. He changed | | | | LXVI” (A.D. 203) 2 May, 2006. [ |
| his plans. The expedition that started out as a quest | | | | [34]Rosella Lorenzi. The Long, Deathly Silence. 2 May, |
| for knowledge now called for courage. He launched | | | | 2006. |
| the quadriremes and embarked himself, a source of | | | | [35] |
| aid for more people than just Rectina, for that delightful | | | | [36]Dio Cassius. The Eruption of Vesuvius that buried |
| shore was a populous one. He hurried to a place from | | | | Pompei, “Roman History Epitome of Book |
| which others were fleeing, and held his course directly | | | | LXVI” (A.D. 203) 2 May, 2006. [ |
| into danger. Was he afraid? It seems not, as he kept | | | | [37]Pliny Letter 6.16. 30 April 2006. |
| up a continuous observation of the various | | | | [38]Scandone, Giacomelli, and Gasparini. “The 79 |
| movements and shapes of that evil cloud, dictating | | | | AD Eruption of Vesuvius. Journal of Volcanology and |
| what he saw. | | | | Geothermal Research. 1993. 30 April, 2006. |
| Ash was falling onto the ships now, darker and denser | | | | [39] |
| the closer they went. Now it was bits of pumice, and | | | | [40]Nigel Cawthorne. 100 Catastrophic Disasters. (New |
| rocks that were blackened and burned and shattered | | | | York: Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc., 2003) 152. |
| by the fire. Now the sea is shoal; debris from the | | | | [41] and Tony Allan. Secrets Of The Ancient Dead. |
| mountain blocks the shore. He paused for a moment | | | | (London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 2004), p. 92. |
| wondering whether to turn back as the helmsman | | | | [42]Pliny Letter 6.20. 30 April 2006. |
| urged him. ‘Fortune helps the brave,’ he | | | | [43]Salvatore Nappo. Pompeii: A Guide to the Ancient |
| said, ‘Head for Pomponianus (his | | | | City. (New York: Barnes & Noble Publishing, Inc., |
| friend).’"[37] With his decision, Pliny the Elder | | | | 1998), p. 13. |
| ordered the helmsmen to turn away from Pompeii, | | | | |