79
ID: 3836
St. Anacletus becomes third pope - builds St. Peter's memorial shrine, martyred under Domitian
ID: 3836
79
ID: 4003
Death of Vespasian - 'I think I'm becoming a god', first emperor to be succeeded by biological son
ID: 4003
79
ID: 4004
Titus becomes emperor - 'delight of mankind', faces Vesuvius eruption immediately
ID: 4004
79
ID: 5433
Pompeii preserves wine culture - 200+ wine bars discovered, wine prices on walls, vineyard inside city walls
ID: 5433
79
ID: 5943
Total destruction - estimated 16,000 dead, Pompeii and Herculaneum buried under 60 feet of ash, cities forgotten for 1,700 years
ID: 5943
79
ID: 5934
August 24, 79
Mount Vesuvius begins erupting - 1 PM, umbrella pine-shaped cloud rises 20 miles high, pumice rains on Pompeii
ID: 5934
79
ID: 5935
August 24, 79
Pliny the Elder launches rescue mission - commands Roman fleet at Misenum, sails toward eruption to save friends and observe phenomenon
ID: 5935
79
ID: 5936
August 24, 79
Pompeii buried in pumice - 6 feet accumulate in hours, roofs collapse, most flee but 2000 stay, darkness at noon
ID: 5936
79
ID: 5937
August 24, 79
Herculaneum initially spared - upwind from volcano, residents watch Pompeii's destruction, feel safe, fatal mistake
ID: 5937
79
ID: 5938
August 24, 79
Pliny the Elder reaches Stabiae - dines calmly with friends, takes bath, sleeps despite falling pumice, trapped by contrary winds
ID: 5938
79
ID: 5939
August 25, 79
First pyroclastic surge hits Herculaneum - 1 AM, 400°C cloud races down at 100 mph, kills everyone instantly, bodies carbonized
ID: 5939
79
ID: 5940
August 25, 79
Death of Pliny the Elder - morning, attempts escape, collapses on beach from volcanic gases (had asthma), dies at 56, body recovered intact
ID: 5940
79
ID: 5941
August 25, 79
Final pyroclastic surge hits Pompeii - 6:30 AM, kills remaining residents instantly, bodies create voids in ash forming famous casts
ID: 5941
79
ID: 5942
August 25, 79
Pliny the Younger survives at Misenum - age 17, writes detailed eyewitness account to Tacitus, only surviving scientific record of eruption
ID: 5942