I was so busy erupting about myself yesterday that I forgot to honor Vesuvius Day as I’d planned. But some have argued that the volcano didn’t actually go off on August 24 anyway. But at some point in 79 AD, Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, among others.
In celebration of this event (bad for those who suffered on that day, but a tremendous boon for those who study life in the ancient world), here’s a video of Vesuvius’ most recent, much less destructive eruption.
Here’s a bit from National Geographic about Pompeii’s less famous cousin, Herculaneum.
Have fun and watch out for pyroclastic flows. They sting a bit.
Wow. It never even dawned on me what time of year it was, and I just finished a dark fantasy short story that took place in Oplontis, a small town near Pompeii, on the very day Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. Yikes! Where is my head?
I know what you mean. If someone asks me in January when Vesuvius erupted, I rattle off the date. But on August 24, I usually forget. I should put it on Google calendar, or something.
The dark fantasy sounds interesting. Great setting for one.