“Eh eh-oh, eh-oh, eh eh-oh, eh-oh…” Pompeii, a city south of ancient Rome in the vicinity of Mount Vesuvius, was thriving along the coast of Italy until the fateful day when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. This infamous eruption killed 2,000 people and obscured the city of Pompeii in a blanket of volcanic ashes, making the city abandoned for almost two millennia. The ashes of Mount Vesuvius traveled across the whole city and covered the city in a state of obscurity, like the pitch-dark sky at night. A clan of explorers came back to investigate the ruins of Pompeii in 1748 and soon discovered that skeletons, artifacts, and buildings were almost all unscathed under the surface of volcanic ashes and rubble. Around 275 years later, these discoveries have continued to teach us and foster our growing knowledge and understanding of the ancient world. 

In the 8th century B.C., ancient Greek settlers came to Pompeii, on the west coast of Italy south of Naples, to make Pompeii a part of the Hellenistic world. In the 2nd century B.C., Pompeii, now an independent town, fell victim to Rome and soon became a tourist attraction for wealthy people who wanted to enjoy the Bay of Naples and the Campania coastline. Around five miles from Mount Vesuvius at the turn of the first century A.D., Pompeii was a prosperous city. It was a resort for many of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the Roman Empire. Above the volcanic soil displayed affluent houses and villas with fountains and elegant artwork and architecture bordering the pristine streets of the prosperous city. This city was notable for its production of olives, grapes, and other crops, as well as its fine wine and small shops, cafes, factories, bathhouses, and taverns. Tourists, servants, and residents idled in the open, uncovered 20,000-seat arena taking in the views of the glistening water and vistas of the Italian coast. On the evening of 79 A.D., all of this was destroyed, leaving only dust, debris, and a blanket of darkness. 

Mount Vesuvius had been erupting for thousands of years, so it was no surprise when the eruption occurred. Residents of Pompeii and neighboring towns and cities had learned to live with Mount Vesuvius’ turbulent tremors and eruptions. Even after large earthquakes and eruptions, such as in 63 A.D. in the Campania region, people still came to the Bay of Naples. Every year Pompeii continued to get increasingly crowded. While there were slight tremors from Mount Vesuvius, they were dismissed because they were so common. Soon after noon in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted again but, unlike all other eruptions, sent ashes, rocks, and volcanic gases so high up in the air that people could see it from hundreds of miles around. Pliny the Younger from across the Bay of Naples stated he “believed I was perishing with the world” in his remarks about the eruption when watching it and compared the eruption to a “cloud of unusual size and appearance”. When the eruption started cooling down, the debris fell to the ground, first the ashes and then rock pieces, luckily giving some of the residents of Pompeii enough time to escape the danger. 

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii will go down in history forever because of the vast destruction it caused and the significant aftermath effects. This memorable event has led us to learn and has fostered our growing knowledge about the ancient world. Pompeii, the prosperous, affluent, well-to-do city, will be significantly remembered and forever have its chapter in history books. “And the walls kept tumbling down, in the city that we love, grey clouds roll over the hills, bringing darkness from above….”