| Mount Vesuvius erupted on this day, destroying the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. (At the time, the cities had not quite recovered from an earthquake 17 years earlier.) Just after midday, fragments of ash, pumice, and other volcanic debris began pouring down on Pompeii, quickly covering the city to a depth of more than 3 metres (9 feet) and causing the roofs of many houses to fall in. Surges of pyroclastic material and heated gas, known as nuées ardentes, reached the city walls on ... |