Pompeii: History Of The Lost City 

Envision an enormous volcano burning masses of ash, as well as lava, hitting your city, burning everything in sight as well as killing you? That sounds like a daunting vision, correct? Unfortunately, the ancient individuals of Pompeii didn’t have to imagine. They endured it. In 79 A.D. in the city of Pompeii Mount Vesuvius’ notorious eruption transpired. According to an article “the volcano began erupting on the morning of 24 August; shortly after 1 p.m., the Plinian phase began, sending a massive plume of rock and ash 18.mi into the sky” (Bergmann, 495). Absurdly, this eruption occurred the day after Vulcanalia, the festival of the Roman God of fire and volcanos. The destruction was immeasurable. The whole city was enclosed by ash. The people of Pompeii were essentially killed from the powerful heat rather than suffocating in the ashes. According to an article “the volcano spewed super-heated gas, which roared down the mountainside at 80 mi per hour “growing avalanches” reaching temperatures of 1,200 – 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit” (Bergmann, 495). A bystander close to such temperature would die instantaneously. The devastation of Mount Vesuvius affected many individuals and it caused many life-changing impacts.

During as well as after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. individuals were affected in nearby towns, cities as well as settlements in such a detrimental way. The local government of the city of Pompeii was destroyed due to this devastating event. The roman emperor Titus gave money to cities as well as residents that survived the eruption. According to an article “the government helped itself to the money of anyone who died in the eruption who didn’t have heirs” (Geggel, 2019).

The government constructed innovative neighborhoods, channels as well as public structures in societies where people have established. Cities as settlements were buried and destroyed killing thousands of individuals. Animals and other food sources were also killed in the eruption. This event ruined the chances of anything being reconstructed as the city was buried under ashes. The eruption damaged the ecosystem as well. Plants and animals were killed destroying the chances of new settlements. The gases reassessed along with the ash and rocks polluted the air as well as water.

Pompeii wasn’t the only city affected by Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum is a city that is close to Pompeii. A citizen observed smoke bursting from Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum received an insignificant amount of damage; however, it was covered in tons of fragments and lava as time went on. According to our text “Herculaneum was covered in 75 feet of ground-hugging avalanches of hot ash that later solidified”. (Henry, chapter 6).

Being that the eruption damages the city of Pompeii so badly, it never came back together. The city of Pompeii was rediscovered in 1748. A Spanish military engineer by the name of Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre rediscovered the last site of Pompeii. The rediscovery guided the findings of so many buildings, artifacts as well as human remains. This discovery was so successful that it encouraged others to quarry with Pompeii. In the present day, Pompeii is preserved as a historic site and is also a place for tourist attraction.

The catastrophic event that occurred in Pompeii stimulated art, literature, as well as music. Pompeii the movie was inspired by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Set in 79 A.D. Pompeii tells the epic story of Milo, A warrior who finds himself in a race against time to protect his true love. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, Milo must protect in love while trying to escape Pompeii before the destruction. The film can be watched as a document. The city in the movie is based on the actual ruins of Pompeii. The Bodies from the Ash Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii by James M Deem is an eye-opening introduction to the world’s notorious events, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the city of Pompeii and the discoveries of individuals and artifacts preserved amongst the ash. The Death of Pliny of the Elder by Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (1750-1819) is a painting of the buildings of Pompeii crashes into the sea after the eruption. At Busch Gardens the ride called Escape from Pompeii is influenced by Mount Vesuvius. As you go through the ride buildings are tumbling down as they are burning from the ash. Luckily, we were able to escape. Last by not least the song Pompeii by Bastille was also encouraged by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The song is a fictional conversation between two individuals who are stuck next to each other in their tragic death pose. Some of the lyrics include “we were caught up and lost in all our voices. In your pose as the dust settled around us”. Also “and the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love. Gray clouds roll over the hill. Bringing darkness from above”.

After the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the citizens of Pompeii were in a panic. There were thievery and starvation. The Romans no longer lived in Pompeii. It was a vacant city. Many scientists and archeologists studied about Mount Vesuvius eruption and excavated Pompeii. Today, Pompeii is a tourist attraction. There are many museums with artifacts from the Roman period. Also, many books, movies, and art in today’s time are influenced by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Mount Vesuvius has been studied and helped us get a better understanding of how to prepare if a volcanic eruption were to occur.

Thought out my research on I’ve come to the conclusion that Pompeii is without a doubt the best-preserved catastrophe in ancient history. I now have the knowledge of how the citizen's ounce thrived by arts, monuments, paintings as well as structures. Pompeii has been frozen in time and today we can view Pompeii as it once was. I’ve learned Pompeii was a melting pot. The culture was very diverse with many individuals from different cultures and religions in society. This will definitely play a major part in my career as a social worker!