Death, Survival and Damage during the 79 AD Eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum
Abstract
The eruption of Vesuvius of 79 AD is the first large explosive eruption described in detail by Pliny the Younger. The eruption began with a high eruptive column depositing a thick airfall pumice deposit to the South East of the volcano, and it was followed by the emplacement of destructive glowing avalanches which destroyed the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. In this paper we re-evaluate the succession of the events based on the letters of Pliny, the volcanic deposit and the extensive damages caused also by the earthquakes occurring during the eruption. We estimate the impact of the synchronous seismic activity by evaluating its intensity and effects on the wider Campanian plain and drawing novel isoseismal maps. We suggest that the strong intra-eruption seismicity conditioned the behavior of the inhabitants of Pompeii during the eruption, compelling many of those, that were still in the houses to flee from the collapsing buildings. We suggest also a different timing of the travel of Pliny the Elder from that proposed by earlier authors We infer an earlier destruction of Herculaneum during the first day of the eruption, as witnessed by the Elder during his travel from Misenum to the vesuvian region, which compelled him to deviate to Stabiae where he died, the following day, a few minutes after the inhabitants of Pompeii.ÂReferences
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