A Man Apart: The Labors Of Pliny The Elder And His Demise At Vesuvius

On August 24, 79 A.D., Italy’s Mount Vesuvius exploded in one of the largest volcanic eruptions in European history. For two days, the mountain disgorged millions of tons of pumice, ash, and pyroclastic materials into the surrounding landscape for many miles, burying completely the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
One middle-aged man observed this scene with transfixed attention. The commander of the nearby Roman fleet at Misenum, at the northern limit of the Bay of Naples, stood near the shoreline and squinted at the incredible displays that were taking place across the bay. He was shocked to see a dense mushroom-shaped Read More

Source: Return of Kings