destroyed by a series of events that occurred during the August 24, 79AD eruption of
Mount Vesuvius.
Most deadly and destructive of these events was the pyroclastic surge. The surge that overcame Pompeii, Herculaneum, and surrounding areas resulted from a collapse of a huge column of hot ash and rock that shot skyward during the eruption of Vesuvius. This superheated gas, ash, and rock traveled down from the cone of the volcano, much like an avalanche, as speeds that may have exceeded 500 mph. Temperatures within this flow might have reached above 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. All organic material and living organisms would be instantly consumed.
A force of this magnitude and temperature leaves very little standing in its wake.
A civilization lost forever...
All that remains is a fleeting glimpse of a people that once flourished...
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Today Pompeii looks like this...
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