Mount Vesuvius Pompeii The Destruction of Civilizations

2000 years ago, there was a massive eruption of Vesuvius mountain not far from the southern tip of Italy. It is said that it was the first eruption after the volcano was asleep for centuries.


Mount Vesuvius which according to legend means "son of Ves / Zeus" aka Hercules, Campagnia located in the area near the Bay of Naples, not far from the industrial and trading city of Pompeii when it has a population of more than 20 thousand inhabitants. Not far from there there is also a summer resort town of Herculaneum, which filled villas, Roman-style baths, and do not forget the gambling. In the surrounding wineries can be found that widespread, also some smaller cities like Stabiae.


The eruption in 79 was preceded by a major earthquake in the year 62. But the Romans at that time did not connect with the activity of volcanic earthquakes. Maybe it's because of them, especially in Campagnia, accustomed to much vibration and shaking of the earth, small and large.


from Wikipedia noon on August 24, Vesuvius exploded, sending thick clumps of ash that could be described like mushrooms or pine trees. As described Pliny the Younger, the philosopher who was in the Bay of Naples during the eruption occurred, in his letter to Tacitus, ash thrown high up into the top like the stem, then widened and eventually flew to the earth. These bursts of high expected to reach 30 kilometers, and for nearly 12 hours later, Pompeii like coated volcanic ash and gravel a few inches thick.


Pompeii residents began to panic and flee out of town, leaving 2,000 people who remained in hiding holes await the eruption ended. But no later than the next day, they died because of poisoning after inhaling gas and volcanic ash.


Victims of Vesuvius, while Herculaneum was spared while still in the early phase because the wind was blowing from the west.But the real population of Herculaneum is located closer to Vesuvius, no relief was too long. Clumps of ash and gas eruptions accompanied by lava rocks and drowned the city to more than 20 meters. Temperatures reached 400 degrees Celsius making organic objects such as human body menghangus, or even explode.






The eruption lasted for nearly 24 hours, where Vesuvius releasing four cubic miles of abortion, especially ash and rocks.The region that suffered the worst damage was in the area south and southeast of the mountain. The total number of victims who died reached 10 thousand people.




Pompeii and Herculaneum were never rebuilt by the-ex-residents who survived, until accidentally rediscovered in the 18th century.But Vesuvius is still standing upright. He still had erupted dozens of times until the last time in 1944. Although high peak current is only 1281 meters from sea level, the only volcano still active continental Europe that this will always be a reminder of the ferocity of nature that could destroy a city.




And we, the people of Indonesia, is also reasonable given that the volcanoes surrounding us must always be aware of their activities. Moreover, because Indonesia still holds the record for highest number of deaths caused by volcanic eruptions, the eruption of Mount Tambora (Sumbawa, April 1815) which took 92 thousand inhabitants.

Post title : Mount Vesuvius Pompeii The Destruction of Civilizations
URL post : http://krangganweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/2000-years-ago-there-was-massive.html