The death of Pompeii - is it a punishment or a tragic accident?! Pompeii: the history of the death of the city and interesting facts When Pompeii died

On August 24, 79, one of the most catastrophic eruptions of Mount Vesuvius occurred. The Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae, located at the foot of the volcano, were destroyed. Vesuvius generated a giant hot cloud of stones, ash and smoke up to 33 km high, releasing thermal energy many times greater than that released by the explosion of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.
Systematic excavations at Pompeii began in 1860. At the same time, researchers found 40 bodies of city residents buried under the ashes. Historians have discovered that the area around Vesuvius was destroyed by pyroclastic flows.
I have always been amazed by the history of Pompeii and Herculaneum - lying for thousands of years under a shallow layer of ash in one of the most densely populated areas of the world - the foot of Vesuvius! Nearby is the largest and oldest city in Italy, Naples, and no one thought to take a shovel and go digging... what if there was something useful left!?

Recently, a huge number of photographs of the affected cities taken by tourists have appeared. The state of preservation is amazing. What was surprising was the fact that at the end of the 19th century the photos showed protruding roofs of buried houses - that is, people knew and remembered that there were towns here, people lived and had property... but no one even dug!!! Naturally, they took care of antiquity!
But I have always been especially amazed by the fact that the date of the death of Pompeii is known until the day - August 24, 79! For thousands of years people remembered this terrible disaster.
I decided to dig into how many other eruptions there were later that were deposited in people’s memory.
I’ll start with the last one - 1944, there are many videos and photo documents.

Everything is the same - ashes, lava and human sacrifices.

The next eruption in the depths of time was 1906...from here https://www.liveinternet.ru/users/bo4kameda/post415512041/

This is a photograph of a buried volcanological observatory founded in 1841-1842.

This is what historians write about the history of Vesuvius eruptions...
“Presumably, the Vesuvius volcano appeared 25,000 years ago as a result of the collision of two tectonic plates. Traces of the oldest known eruption are dated 6940 ± 100 BC. e.

The eruption, which occurred 3,800 years ago, covered the area covering Naples with pyroclastic flows.
The strong (5 on the eruption scale) eruption of 79 destroyed several cities - Pompeii and Stabiae were covered with volcanic ash, up to 8 m thick in places, and Herculaneum was covered with mud flows due to the rain that accompanied the eruption. There is also a version about a large pyroclastic flow that destroyed Herculaneum and Pompeii. The pyroclastic flow was so saturated with gases that they tightly sealed the buildings of the cities, leaving them without oxygen, as a result of which the remains of the victims of the eruption did not decompose, but froze in volcanic ash.
There were also major eruptions in 1631, 1794, 1822, 1872 and 1906. The eruption of 1631 was 10 times weaker than the eruption of 79, but the higher population density of the surrounding areas led to a large number of victims, about 4,000 people. During the eruption, the volcano erupted in several phases. As a result of the eruption, the volcano became lower by 168 m. In 1805, the eruption of Vesuvius was relatively weak, but most of the city of Naples was almost completely destroyed, and about 26 thousand people became victims of the disaster.

The 1872 eruption is also in the photo - https://humus.livejournal.com/3408653.html
There was destruction and casualties, but not very much!
According to historiography, it turns out that the next eruptions in ancient times were 1822, 1794 and 1631, and for all one and a half thousand years Vesuvius was either silent or did not cause any special troubles from the day of the death of Pompeii... it’s not logical... but okay, let’s deal with the last three! Because it is at this time that terrible confusion begins in the testimony of witnesses :::-)))
At that time there were no photographers but there were artists in abundance!
Everyone knows the painting The Last Day of Pompeii written by Karl Bryullov; he created it in 1830 - 1833.
This is what historians write...
“In 1830, Bryullov began work on a large painting with a historical plot - “The Last Day of Pompeii” (1830-1833), commissioned from him by Anatoly Nikolaevich Demidov. The idea of ​​the painting was connected with the fashion for archeology that arose at that time and with the relevance: Vesuvius erupted in 1828. For a more accurate and complete transmission of the tragedy, Bryullov carefully studied numerous literary sources that spoke about the ancient catastrophe, and visited excavations in Pompeii and Herculaneum and made a number of sketches of the landscape, ruins, and fossilized figures on the spot.”
That is, here the testimony of witnesses differs from the official dates of the eruption of Vesuvius - Bryullov observed the eruption in 1828 personally! The lava and ashes cooled down and, like any curious person, I went to see what happened there at the sites of the tragedy... participated in the excavations... well, in a completely human way, I helped dig up the town.

Although the painting is dated 1817, according to the official biography, not everything was so wrong...
“In 1819 Turner visited Italy for the first time. He visited Turin, Milan, Rome, Venice, Naples. He studied the works of Titian, Tintoretto, Raphael, and contemporary Italian artists. After traveling to Italy, his painting became more vibrant, the palette intense with a predominance of primary colors. The Venetian theme occupied a special place in the artist’s work. He visited this city three times (in 1819, 1833, 1840), and memories of it fueled his imagination for many years.” Well, these are little things...

Here is another witness...” “The eruption of Vesuvius” is a recurring theme in four paintings and at least one sketch by the English artist Joseph Wright, who traveled through Italy in 1773-1775. One of them, "Vesuvius from Portici", is in the Huntington Library in California; the second, “Eruption of Vesuvius, overlooking the islands in the Bay of Naples” - in the Tate Gallery, London; the third, Vesuvius from Posillippo, can be seen at the Yule Center for British Art; the fourth, known by the same name, is in a private collection.
In 1774, Wright made a gouache sketch during his travels, which is now kept in the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

But the most interesting is Pierre-Jacques Volaire, nicknamed Chevalier Volaire (Pierre-Jacques Volaire; 1729 - 1799) - a French landscape painter.
Born in Toulon in the family of an official city artist (his grandfather was a decorative artist in the arsenal). He studied with Claude Joseph Vernet, with whom he worked for eight years from 1754 to 1762. Vernet's work had a decisive influence on the formation of Wohler's style.
In 1762, Wohler moved to Rome, where he became a member of the Academy of St. Luke and received the honorary title of knight. But competition in the art market forced the artist to move to Naples in 1767. He lived in Naples until his death.

Judging by his paintings and dating, Vesuvius erupted for several years...

There are a huge number of artists who depicted the eruption of Vesuvius, and basically all the paintings are from the 20s - 30s of the 19th century, the second mass of paintings is from the end of the 18th century, a time in which there were no memorable eruptions... however, judging by the pictures, these were grandiose events!

Here are a bunch of photos of Naples and Pompeii and other surroundings of Vesuvius https://humus.livejournal.com/3997368.html

So I think that Card Bryullov really helped to dig up the freshly buried Pompeii!
What is most interesting is that Pompeii fell asleep only once and then not completely... the roofs of many buildings were sticking out. One of the photos shows a view of Naples from Pompeii, that is, the town is in real direct visibility from Naples! In most paintings depicting the eruption of Vesuvius at the beginning of the 19th century, the view is from Naples and all the lava and stones are flying towards Pompeii... one problem is the dating! But this, as they say, is a question for historians!

Ancient city of Pompeii was formed back in the 6th century BC. If it were not for the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which burned the entire city to the ground, covering it with a huge layer of volcanic ash, Pompeii would still exist not far from Naples. Now these are ruins that UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site.

The name Pompeii arose after the unification of five independent cities (pumpe - five). This is a more plausible version. There is a legend according to which Hercules defeated the giant Geryon in a tough battle, and after that he solemnly walked around the city, celebrating the victory. From the ancient Greek language pumpe is a solemn, triumphal procession.

In those days, people believed in God, and believed that the gods controlled earthly cataclysms. Despite the fact that on February 5, 62 AD. e. A strong earthquake occurred, which could possibly have been the impetus for a volcanic eruption, people still continued to live in the city, worshiping the gods, and believing that no misfortune would happen to them. Still, the volcano erupted. It happened August 24, 79 AD Not only the city of Pompeii suffered, but also nearby cities - Herculaneum, Stabiae. The eruption was so strong that the ash even reached neighboring countries - Egypt and Syria. About 20 thousand people lived in the city. Some managed to escape even before the disaster began, but many died. The exact number of victims is unknown, but the remains of bodies were found far outside the city.

The city remained under a layer of ash for many centuries until in 1592 by Dominico Fontana(a famous architect of that time) did not stumble upon the city wall while laying a canal from the Sarno River. No one gave this wall much importance, and only about 100 years later in the ruins of Pompeii they found a tablet with the inscription “Pompeii” carved on it. Even after this incident, no one could have imagined that this was an ancient city that had disappeared from the face of the earth. They concluded that this was the old villa of Pompey the Great.

And so in 1748 the extraction of the ancient city began. Led the excavations Alcubierre, who was sure that this was the city of Stabia. Directly in Pompeii itself, only three excavations were carried out in different places. Alcubierre was a barbarian, and he sent all finds that, in his opinion, were of interest to the Naples Museum, and simply destroyed others. Many scientists protested, and the excavations stopped.

In 1760, new excavations began, led by F. Vega. They continued until 1804. Vega and his subordinates spent 44 years retrieving works of art. All finds were restored again and removed very carefully. At this time, tourists had already begun to come here, so many monuments were not immediately transferred to museums, but were left on display for visitors to the city of Pompeii, which had already become a museum.

In 1863, excavations continued. This time they were led Giuseppe Fiorelli. It was he who discovered a huge number of voids under layers of ash. These are nothing more than the bodies of the city's inhabitants. By filling these voids with plaster, scientists completely reproduced casts of human bodies, right down to facial expressions.

Throughout its history, humanity has experienced many disasters. However, the most famous of them is the death of Pompeii. History introduces us to numerous facts of this disaster, which happened in 79 in Italy. Here, in the very center of the state, the Vesuvius volcano erupted. And although it can hardly be called the most powerful, this event shocked many people who firmly believe in the exclusivity of their homeland. After all, as a result of the eruption, a large prosperous city - Pompeii - was destroyed. What people have experienced can be compared to the disaster when the Twin Towers in the United States were destroyed as a result of a terrorist attack. And this despite the fact that the time distance between these two tragedies was 1922.

Interest for archaeologists

What was Pompeii like? It was one of the most beautiful cities of antiquity, thanks to which we can most fully learn about how the Romans lived in those days. At the site where Pompeii stood, interesting artifacts are still preserved that testify to how majestic this settlement was. Houses and neighborhoods, temples and frescoes... All this remained practically untouched, since for two millennia after the disaster it was under the ashes. Visiting the ruins of this ancient settlement is luck for any archaeologist

The emergence of the city

When did Pompeii appear? The history of the great city dates back to the 4th century. BC e. It was then that a settlement was founded in the Naples area. Later, this settlement annexed five small villages and became a single administrative entity. It belonged to the Etruscans, those same ancient tribes whose culture later formed the basis of the culture of the Romans.

What is the further history of Pompeii (briefly)? By the end of the 5th century. BC e. the city was captured by the Samnites. And a century later, Pompeii began to ally with the Roman Republic. However, such connections were nothing more than a formality. Cities like Pompeii were considered by the Senate of Rome only from a consumer perspective. Their citizens served in the army of the great state, but were deprived in many material matters, in particular those related to the right to public lands. This was the reason for the birth of the uprising.

However, the protests of the citizens of Pompeii were suppressed. In 89 BC. e. Troops entered the city, declaring it a Roman colony. Pompeii lost its independence forever. However, the city residents did not even feel such changes. For the entire ninety years remaining in the history of the city, they continued to live a free and prosperous life on land that was fertile, near the sea and in a mild climate. They were not affected by the civil war, in which Caesar and Pompey took an active part. The history of the city indicates its active development until the tragedy that occurred.

Neighboring settlements

Not far from Pompeii was Herculaneum. This is a city in which retired legionnaires settled, as well as slaves who bought their freedom. Still not far from Pompeii was the city of Stabiae. It was a favorite place of the Roman nouveau riche. Wonderful villas were built on its territory, which delighted with their luxury and were literally buried in greenery. At some distance from them there were houses where poor people lived - servants, traders, artisans. They all made their living by providing for the needs of rich people.

The history of the death of the city of Pompeii is directly related to Herculaneum and Stabiae. They, too, were buried under the ash erupting from Vesuvius. Of all the residents, only those who abandoned their property and left at the very beginning of the eruption were saved. By doing this, people were able to save the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

Infrastructure

The history of Pompeii, since the formation of the city, was characterized by the construction of a huge number of buildings. Construction was especially active in the last three centuries before the tragedy broke out. Among the infrastructure facilities are:

• a huge amphitheater with twenty thousand seats;
• The Bolshoi Theater, which accommodated 5 thousand spectators;
• Maly theater, designed for 1.5 thousand people.

A large number of temples were also erected in the city, which were dedicated to various gods. The center of Pompeii was decorated with a square - the forum. This is an area formed from public buildings, where the main trade and political life of the settlement took place. The streets of the city were straight and intersected each other perpendicularly.

Communications

The city had its own water supply. It was carried out using an aqueduct. This device was a large tray standing on supports. The city was supplied with life-giving moisture from mountain springs. After the aqueduct, the water flowed into a large reservoir, and from it, through a system of pipes, into the houses of wealthy citizens.

Public fountains operated for the common people. Pipes from a common reservoir were also connected to them.

The baths built in the city were also extremely popular. People not only washed themselves in them, but also communicated and discussed commercial and social news.

Production

Bread in Pompeii was produced by its own bakeries. There was also textile production in the city. It was at a fairly high level for that time.

Volcano neighborhood

What about Vesuvius? Yes, this volcano is active. It is located just 15 km from Naples. Its height is 1280 m. Historians and scientists claim that it used to be twice as high. However, the events of 79 destroyed most of the volcano.
Throughout its history, Vesuvius has had 80 major eruptions. But, according to archaeologists, until 79 the volcano was not active for 15 centuries.

Why, despite the existing danger, was Pompeii built in this very place, the history of which ended so sadly? The fact is that people were attracted to this territory by its fertile soil. And they did not pay attention to the real threat posed by the crater next to them.

Predecessors of the tragedy

Pompeii, one of the oldest cities in Italy, felt the tremors of a powerful earthquake in 62. There is practically not a single building left intact. Some of the structures were completely destroyed.

An earthquake and an eruption are the same geological process, only expressed in different forms. However, the inhabitants of the Roman Empire at that time did not yet know about this. They firmly believed that their beautiful city would stand for centuries.

Without having time to recover from the consequences of these disturbances in the bowels of the earth, Pompeii experienced a whole series of new tremors. They occurred the day before the eruption of Vesuvius, which occurred in 79. It was this event that led to the fact that the history of Pompeii came to an end. Of course, people did not connect the tremors of the earth’s interior with the volcano.

In addition, shortly before the disaster, the water temperature of the Gulf of Naples increased sharply. In some places it even reached boiling point. All the wells and streams located on the slopes of Vesuvius turned out to be dry. The depths of the mountain began to emit eerie sounds, reminiscent of prolonged groans. All this also indicated that the history of the city of Pompeii would change dramatically.

Death of the city

What was Pompeii's last day like? History can briefly describe it thanks to the available records of the political figure of those times, Pliny the Younger. The disaster began at two o'clock in the afternoon on August 24, 1979. A white cloud with brown spots appeared above Vesuvius. It quickly gained its size and, rising in height, began to spread in all directions. The soil near the volcano began to move. Continuous tremors were felt, and a terrible roar was heard from the depths.

Soil vibrations were felt even in the city of Miseno, located 30 kilometers from the volcano. It was in this locality that Pliny the Younger was located. According to his notes, the tremors were so strong that statues and houses seemed to be destroyed, being thrown from side to side.

At this time, a gas stream continued to burst out of the volcano. She, possessing incredible strength, carried a huge number of pieces of pumice out of the crater. The debris rose to a height of about twenty kilometers. And this continued throughout the 10-11 hours of the eruption.

Death of people

It is believed that about two thousand people were unable to escape from Pompeii. This is approximately a tenth of the city's total population. The rest probably managed to escape. Consequently, the catastrophe that struck did not take the Pompeians by surprise. This information was obtained by scientists from Pliny's letters. However, it is not possible to know the exact number of deaths. The fact is that archaeologists discovered human remains even outside the city.

The history of Pompeii, compiled by researchers, suggests that, according to existing data, the number of deaths is sixteen thousand people. These are residents not only of the city described, but also of Herculaneum, as well as Stabius.

People fled to the harbor in panic. They hoped to escape by leaving the dangerous area by sea. This is confirmed by excavations by archaeologists who discovered many human remains on the coast. But, most likely, the ships did not have time or simply could not accommodate everyone.

Among the residents of Pompeii there were those who hoped to sit out in closed rooms or in remote cellars. Afterwards, however, they tried to get out, but it was too late.

The next stage of the eruption

What happened next to the city of Pompeii? History, written on the basis of these chronicles, suggests that explosions in the crater of the volcano occurred with some interval. This allowed many residents to retreat to a safe distance. Only slaves remained in the city, playing the role of guards of the master's property, and those residents who did not want to leave their farms.

The situation has worsened. At night the next stage of the eruption began. Flames began to erupt from Vesuvius. The next morning, hot lava flowed from the crater. It was she who killed those residents who remained in the city. Around 6 o'clock in the morning, ash began to fall from the sky. At the same time, “balls” of pumice began to cover the ground, covering Pompeii and Stabia with a thick layer. This nightmare lasted for three hours.

Researchers believe that the energy of Vesuvius that day was many times greater than that released during the atomic explosion in Hiroshima. The people who remained in the city rushed through the streets. They tried to escape, but quickly lost strength and fell, covering their heads with their hands in despair.

How did the death of Pompeii occur? Little-known facts that were published relatively recently tell us that the pyroclastic hydrothermal flows that poured into the city reached temperatures of 700 degrees. It was they who brought horror and death with them. When hot water was mixed with ash, a mass was formed, enveloping everything that came in its way. People trying to escape from imminent death fell exhausted, and were immediately covered with ash. They suffocated, dying in terrible agony. This fact of the history of Pompeii is confirmed by convulsively clenched hands with clenched fingers, faces distorted in horror and mouths open in a silent scream. This is exactly how the townspeople died.

Casts of the bodies of the dead

As a result of the eruption of Vesuvius, volcanic rocks buried the entire area. The lower layer of this layer, the thickness of which reaches 7 m, consists of small pieces of plasma and stones. Afterwards there is a layer of ash. Its thickness is 2 m. The total layer of volcanic rocks averaged 9 m. But in some places it was much larger.

Archaeologists discovered the bulk of the inhabitants of Pompeii in the upper layer of volcanic rocks. The remains lay in solidified lava for almost 2 thousand years. If you look at the photograph presented above, you can see the position of the bodies taken at the moment of death, as well as the expression of agony and horror on the faces of the doomed. These are plaster casts made by archaeologists. At the sites where the Pompeians died, voids formed in the solidified lava due to the dense mass that formed from water and ash surrounding the people. This composition has dried and hardened. At the same time, facial features and folds of clothing, body prints and even small wrinkles remained on him. By filling these voids with plaster, scientists were able to create very realistic and accurate casts. Despite the fact that the bodies themselves have long since become dust, looking at these photos is still creepy. These figures clearly convey the horror and despair that the inhabitants of Pompeii had to experience.

On August 24, 79, Vesuvius erupted. It was so strong that it completely destroyed three cities. Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae simply disappeared from the face of the Earth. Many residents died in severe torture, and their houses were buried under a multi-meter layer of stones and volcanic ash.

It is believed that the story of the death of Pompeii is well known. Archaeological excavations are constantly underway there. Eyewitness accounts have also been preserved. The same Pliny described everything in great detail. However, much about this tragedy remains unclear, and new facts are constantly emerging:

The inhabitants of Pompeii knew that there might be an eruption

The harbinger of the tragedy was a powerful earthquake that occurred in 62. There were practically no undamaged buildings left in the city at that time, some were completely destroyed. And the day before the eruption of 79 there was a series of tremors. Of course, the inhabitants of Pompeii did not understand that this was connected with the volcano. But they believed: the earth was shaking due to the heavy tread of the giants, who warned that people were in danger of death.

Shortly before the eruption, the water temperature in the Bay of Naples increased sharply, and in some places reached the boiling point. All streams and wells on the slopes of Vesuvius have dried up. From the depths of the mountain, eerie sounds began to be heard, reminiscent of a drawn-out groan. That's interesting the roar of the earth, which has been heard all over the planet in recent years, also foreshadows the death of thousands of people?

Most of the residents managed to leave the city

About a tenth of the population died on the streets of Pompeii - about 2 thousand people. The rest may have managed to escape. This means that the disaster did not take people by surprise. This is clear from Pliny's letters. True, the remains of the dead were found outside the city, so no one knows the exact number of dead. According to some reports, the total number of victims of the eruption in Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia is 16 thousand people.

People fled to the harbor, hoping to leave the dangerous territory by sea. During excavations on the coast, many remains were discovered. Apparently, the ships were unable or did not have time to accept everyone. And those who remained hoped to sit out in remote cellars or closed rooms. Then, however, they tried to get out, but it was too late.

How Pompeii really died

Some believe that people burned alive in streams of hot lava, and the city was engulfed in flames. In fact, everything was not like that. Vesuvius practically did not erupt lava at that time. And if fires did break out anywhere, it was only by accident. This is known from the letters of Pliny.

First, a gray-black column of smoke and ash rose from the crater. Then the volcano began to eject larger debris. The hot cloud reached 33 kilometers in height. The energy of Vesuvius was many times greater than that released during the atomic explosion over Hiroshima. People rushed through the streets in panic, but quickly became exhausted, fell and covered their heads with their hands in despair.

Destructive hydrothermal pyroclastic flows poured into the city. Their temperatures reached 700 °C. They brought fear and death. Hot water mixed with ash, and the resulting mass stuck to everything that was in its path. A rockfall began. All this lasted 18-20 hours. The volcano erupted a huge amount of stones and slag.

It was difficult to breathe; a heavy black veil hung in the air. People fought for their lives, tried to escape from imminent death, and find safe areas. Then they fell exhausted, and were quickly covered with ash. They suffocated and died in cruel agony. Distorted faces, mouths open in a silent scream, convulsively clenched hands, cramped fingers... This is how most of the townspeople died.

As a result, the city was buried under volcanic rocks. The bottom layer consists of stones and small pieces of plasma. Its average thickness is 7 meters. Then there is a two-meter layer of ash. The total is about 9 meters, but in some places the thickness of the rubble was much greater.

The creepy photos are not corpses, but just plaster casts

Most of Pompeii's inhabitants are buried in the upper layers of volcanic ash. They lay there for almost 2 thousand years, but, at first glance, they were well preserved. In the photographs, which are abundant on the Internet, you can see not only the position of the bodies at the moment of death, but even the expression of horror and agony on the faces of the unfortunate people.

But in fact, these are only casts that archaeologists make. The first to come up with this idea was a certain Giuseppe Fiorelli, who led the excavations. Back in 1870, he discovered that voids had formed at the sites where people died. After all, the ash mixed with water that poured onto the city during the eruption densely stuck around the dead. The mass dried and hardened, preserving the exact imprints of bodies, folds of clothing, facial features and even the smallest wrinkles.

By filling them with plaster, the scientist received accurate and very realistic casts. This is how he managed to reproduce people’s poses and obtain their death masks. But the bodies themselves have long since turned to dust. And it’s still creepy... This is not for you photo of chupacabra, which look more like ordinary fakes. Everything is real here.

The death of Pompeii is a punishment for moral degradation

So, at least, some historians and philosophers thought. Indeed, when archaeologists excavated the city, they found many frescoes with unambiguous content. And there were more lupanariums (in other words, brothels) and separate rooms for meetings with prostitutes than, for example, bakeries. No wonder the inhabitants of Pompeii were considered the most dissolute in the Roman Empire.

Vesuvius is still dangerous, the tragedy may repeat itself

After 79, several more eruptions occurred. And each time it was a terrible tragedy. So, in 1631, approximately 4 thousand people became victims of the volcano. In 1805, an eruption killed about 26 thousand people and destroyed most of Naples. In 1944, 27 people died and lava flows destroyed the cities of Massa and San Sebastiano. You can read more about the volcano, and about the death of Pompeii -. By the way, there are documentary videos:

It should be noted right away that the bodies of deceased citizens in the Roman Empire were not buried, but cremated. For modern historians, this is a big disadvantage, since bones can reveal a lot about a person’s life. What he ate, what he was sick with, what kind of lifestyle he led. Therefore, skeletons, whose age is estimated at two thousand years, are very valuable. Finding them in Italy is difficult. Hence the enormous archaeological significance of Pompeii. In this city, which was buried under a multi-meter layer of volcanic ash, a lot of skeletons have been preserved.

The death of Pompeii dates back to August 24, 79.. In 62 years, it will be possible to celebrate 2000 years since the death of the city. By historical standards, the period is relatively short. By the standards of space - an instant. But if we consider the tragedy from the perspective of the duration of human life, then a huge period of time has passed.

History of Pompeii

Pompeii itself was founded in the 6th century BC. e. The city absorbed 5 small settlements and turned into a single administrative entity. These were the possessions of the Etruscans, those same ancient tribes whose culture served as the basis of Roman culture. At the end of the 5th century, the city was captured by the Samnites, and 100 years later Pompeii threw in its lot with the Roman Republic. Residents of the city enjoyed great rights and were considered not subjects, but allies of Rome.

But such an alliance was a mere formality. The Roman Senate looked at such cities from a consumer perspective. Citizens were recruited to serve in the army, but were not given Roman citizenship. They were also deprived of material issues concerning rights to public lands. All this gave birth to an uprising.

Pompeii city plan

In 89 BC. e. Troops entered Pompeii, and the city was declared a colony of the Roman Republic. The city forever lost even its formal independence. But this had no effect on the residents. For the remaining 90 years they lived freely and securely. The lands were fertile, the sea was nearby, the climate was mild, and noble Romans willingly built villas in these places.

Nearby was the city of Herculaneum. Legionnaires who retired, as well as former slaves who became free citizens, settled there. In the Roman Republic, any slave could buy freedom or receive it as a gift for some merit. These are the people who inhabited the city.

Another neighboring city was called Stabiae. This was the place of the Roman nouveau riche. There were luxurious villas surrounded by greenery. The houses of the poor people were located at a distance. Servants, artisans, and merchants lived in them. They all fed from rich people, providing for their needs.

The death of Pompeii is inextricably linked with these two cities. They were also buried under the volcanic ash of the “awakened” Vesuvius. Most of the residents died. Only those who left their homes at the very beginning of the eruption were saved. They abandoned all their property and left, thereby saving the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

Pompeii street

From the day of its formation, Pompeii was actively built. Construction was especially busy in the last 300 years before the tragedy. A huge amphitheater with 20 thousand seats was erected. Its construction dates back to 80 BC. e. Gladiator fights were held in the arena, which was 135 meters long and 105 meters wide. 100 years earlier, ancient builders built the Bolshoi Theater for 5 thousand spectators. Almost simultaneously with the amphitheater, the Maly Theater was built for 1.5 thousand spectators.

The city had many temples dedicated to various gods. There was a forum in the center. This is a square formed from public buildings. It hosted both political and commercial life. The streets were straight and intersected perpendicularly.

The city's water supply was carried out through an aqueduct. This is a large tray on supports. The builders always made a slight slope, and the water ran along it. Life-giving moisture came into the city from mountain springs. From the aqueduct it flowed into a huge reservoir. It was located above residential buildings and had many pipes that ran from it to the houses of wealthy citizens. That is, there was running water available, but only for wealthy people.

The common people were content with public fountains. Pipes from the tank also approached them. But there was one unpleasant nuance. All pipes were made of lead. This naturally affected people's health and affected life expectancy. If people of those times knew about this, they most likely would have made silver pipes. This would have a very positive impact on your health.

In the courtyard of a luxury villa
The quality brickwork is noteworthy

The city was supplied with bread by bakeries. There was textile production. There was a powerful fortress wall and, of course, thermal baths (baths). They were extremely popular in Ancient Rome. In such places, people not only washed, but also communicated, discussing the latest social and commercial news.

Archaeologists even found a lupanarium. This is what brothels were called in the Roman era. In Pompeii it was a 2-story stone building. There were 5 rooms on each floor. It is assumed that there were still 30 single rooms in the city. They were located above wine shops in different residential areas.

If you count, it turns out that no more than 40 prostitutes served clients. 20 thousand people lived in the city. Half of them are men, plus visitors. For such a mass of people there are only 40 priestesses of love. It can be argued that men at that time were much more chaste than the current inhabitants of the planet. Hence the conclusion: the sexual promiscuity of Roman citizens is only a figment of the imagination of unscrupulous historians.

Volcano Vesuvius

What about Vesuvius? This is an active volcano. It is located 15 km from Naples. Its height is 1280 meters. Over the entire history of its existence, it has had 80 major eruptions. According to geologists, Vesuvius was silent for 15 centuries until the significant date in 79. Only in 63 did he become more active. There was an earthquake that destroyed several buildings in the city. An earthquake and an eruption are the same geological process expressed in different forms. But how could the inhabitants of the Roman Republic know about this?

City of Pompeii and Vesuvius

After the tragedy of 79, the volcano fell silent again for more than 1,500 years. Activated in 1631. Lava poured out of a forested crater. She destroyed the small Italian town of Torre del Greco. In this case, 1,500 people died. The volcano was active for 2 weeks.

From that moment on, Vesuvius periodically became active at intervals of 15-30 years. A major eruption began on April 4, 1906. The volcano went berserk until April 28th. At the same time, gas was released and lava flowed. Then a similar scenario, but in a more modest form, was repeated 7 years later. And on March 20, 1944, the last eruption occurred. It was comparable in strength to the 1906 eruption.

Thus, it is clear that at first only gases, pumice and hard rocks were released from the volcano. All this was accompanied by strong explosions and tons of hot ash, which covered the ground with a multi-ton mass. Since the 17th century, in addition to gases and ash, lava has flowed from the crater.

In fact, those people who live near Vesuvius are at great risk. But this is a densely populated region of Italy. At any moment it can turn into a place of terrible tragedy. But for now the volcano is “sleeping”, and let’s hope that the next activity will occur only in a thousand years.

Chronology of the death of Pompeii

So, let's go back to '79. A week before August 24, an earthquake struck the city. It was very strong and corresponded to 6 points on the Richter scale. The city, which had barely recovered from the earthquake of 1963, again suffered partial destruction. Half of the inhabitants left it. But the other half remained. People began to clear the rubble and improve the damaged life.

It is possible that looters appeared in the city. They robbed abandoned rich estates. Apparently the administrative authorities were not immediately able to restore order, so the thieves felt quite at ease. The situation was aggravated by the fact that there was no water in the water pipeline. Technical services were unable to immediately determine the cause of the accident. It was necessary to go to the mountains and check the condition of the aqueduct there.

It took a week to do everything. Life gradually returned to normal. The morning of August 24 was no different from the previous days after the earthquake. People walked the streets, markets worked. Mount Vesuvius rose majestically in the distance. She looked quite calm, and the townspeople in no way connected the earthquake with her.

The gradual destruction of Pompeii began around one o'clock in the afternoon. At first there were several strong tremors. Then the sound of an explosion was heard, and a black column of smoke appeared over Vesuvius. Gas began to escape from the crater under enormous pressure. It carried away small hard rocks, volcanic ash and pumice (volcanic porous rock). The huge pillar reached a height of 30 km.

Plaster bodies of dead people

This entire mass covered the sky and began to fall to the ground. When even a small pebble falls from a great height, it can kill a person. Therefore, people left the streets and hid in their houses. At the same time, the volcano either intensified or weakened in its fury.

Those residents who, abandoning everything, left the city at noon, remained alive. But the bulk of the population did not even realize the seriousness of the danger. Many considered the roofs of houses to be the most reliable protection.

Volcanic dust mixed with pumice fell to the ground more and more actively. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon it became dark as night. Some roofs of houses began to collapse under the weight of volcanic eruptions. It was impossible to walk the streets. Residents realized that they were being walled up alive in their houses.

As archaeologists have determined, 54 residents took refuge in the basement of a large wholesale warehouse on the day the death of Pompeii occurred. The vaulted ceiling of the room evenly distributed the load created by volcanic dust. Therefore, the shelter was reliable. But people did not take into account that the air was filled with gases harmful to breathing. The situation was aggravated by a pyroclastic flow (volcanic gases and ash with temperatures up to 700 degrees Celsius).

In the depths of Vesuvius, pressure increased sharply. Hot gases and ash rushed out with triple force. Part of the top of the crater could not stand it and collapsed. As a result, the red-hot mass rushed not upward, but to the side and moved towards the city at a tremendous speed of 500 km/h. At the same time, the temperature of the pyroclastic flow reached 300 degrees Celsius.

Everything that came in the way instantly burned. This is how many people who found themselves on the streets of the city at that time died. Archaeologists have found a stable where more than two dozen horses rotted alive. The poor animals were tied up and couldn't get out in time.

A terrible volcanic event significantly accelerated the death of Pompeii. Those 54 people who took refuge in the basement of the wholesale warehouse were suffocated by the hot air. Death was hastened by dust. It entered the lungs and turned into cement there. Two thousand years later these bodies were found. They lay in calm positions. In contrast, those who died on the streets were roasted alive.

Vesuvius Crater

Excavations of the city began in the 19th century. Cavities found in volcanic dust were filled with gypsum. And the emptiness turned into a crooked human body. There were a great many of them. Almost the entire population died. The figure given is 16 thousand people. But this takes into account two other cities: Herculaneum and Stabia.

Thus, the death of Pompeii became the greatest tragedy that happened at the very beginning of the 1st millennium of the new era. These days, the once beautiful city has been turned into an open-air museum. 75% of its area has been cleared. The rest is still under ash. Now nothing reminds us of the tragedy. The ruins look quite peaceful. Vesuvius also looks peaceful. Looking at him, you can’t say that the culprit of the terrible nightmare was hiding only for a while. But no one knows when the fateful hour will come.