The cities buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeiii, Herculaneum, Boscoreale, Stabiae and Oplontis, constitute a tragic account of the volcano’s devastating impact on the ancient cities of the Vesuvian region. The volcano erupted in an impetuous manner, generating a column of ash, gas and debris that rose for miles above the crater.

During the initial phase of the eruption, cities were hit by a shower of lapilli and pumice, followed by high-temperature pyroclastic flows that flowed down the slopes of Vesuvius, overwhelming whatever they encountered in their path. Many people were trapped in buildings or affected by collapses caused by the weight of the volcanic materials, while others died from inhaling toxic gases or from heat shock caused by the high temperatures.