Timeline of Events

The morning of August 24, A.D. 79 began as any other. People worked on their gardens, took things to the market place and conducted business as usual. Late in the morning things began to rumble at the mountain two miles away, creating a sense of tension and unease within the city. Pliny the Elder was taking a bath as things began to get more shaky than usual.

By noon heavy ash and lapilli began to spout from Vesuvius's peak, falling on the cities of Oplontis, Terzigno and Pompeii.

Follow the events using the Timeline from Pompeii's Museum in Italy. It chronicles things as they happened throughout the day, as well as progression of Pompeii through the ages up to the present.

for a VIDEO reenactment of the disaster, visit Pompeii: A City Rediscovered. There are 3 quality videos you can view directly in your browser.