
The Destruction of Pompeii by Mount Vesuvius, Re-Created with Computer Animation - benbreen
http://www.openculture.com/2016/02/watch-the-destruction-of-pompeii-by-mount-vesuvius-re-created-with-computer-animation-79-ad.html
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klenwell
Pretty cool. It prompted me to wonder how long it took for news of the event
to disseminate throughout the empire and how it was received. The attached
articles don't really go into it. But the Wikipedia article includes this
curious point, which I had never encountered before:

 _The eruption was documented by contemporary historians and is generally
accepted as having started on 24 August 79, relying on one version of the text
of Pliny 's letter. However the archeological excavations of Pompeii suggest
that the city was buried about three months later. This is supported by
another version of the letter, which gives the date of the eruption as
November 23._

Which makes me want to imagine historians 2000 years from now debating whether
9/11 really occurred on 9/11 or closer to 12/11.

Which almost makes me want to go ask on /r/AskHistorians whether there is any
record of Pompeii Truthers. I'd be kinda shocked if there wasn't.

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douche
I wonder if that is factoring in the date jump in the Julian to Gregorian
calendars? That would only be 11-12 days difference, I suppose, but I'm not
sure if there are any other calendar restructurings involved before then.

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engi_nerd
The last big calendar restructuring before the eruption was done by Julius
Caesar when he created the Julian Calendar. It brought the calendar back in
synch with the seasons.

EDIT: Forgot to say when this reform happened. 46 BCE, to take effect in 45
BCE.

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moron4hire
Pliny the Elder died there, trying to run ships across the sea to save people
[0] from the eruption. He was asthmatic and succumbed to smoke inhalation.

But I think that informs the situation a little. The eruption was going on
long enough that Plinius could show up, say "pack up your household, let's
go", think about how things were going, disseminate orders to wear pillows on
everyone's heads to protect from falling rocks, and even take a bath [1].

[0] Well, maybe just his friends, but he was still a historian who mounted a
rescue mission.

[1] which was likely because of an asthma attack and thinking the steam would
help, but there is some thought it was to also demonstrate coolness under
pressure and help prevent a panic in his charges.

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pheo
By my understanding of the event, a wall of mud and ash buried the city 10+
feet deep almost instantly. Fossil were found with food in their mouths. What
timeline was this "simulation" built on?

~~~
fractallyte
Probably the diehards - the volcano-deniers who refused to believe anything of
significant magnitude was about to happen.

You'll find 'em in every era...

~~~
fractallyte
Sigh. Was it really necessary to preface it with: "This is not a flippant
comment"?

How else to explain such sudden deaths, even considering there was enough
warning of impending catastrophe, and time to escape? Why else stick it out
until that final blast of pyroclastic fury?

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aaronbrethorst
I believe this is the video that accompanies the exhibit, ahem, _Pompeii: The
Exhibition_.
[http://www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/15/15/pompeii-...](http://www.premierexhibitions.com/exhibitions/15/15/pompeii-
exhibition)

~~~
novaleaf
i can confirm this, I recognize the video from when I saw the exhibit. Too bad
there isn't a higher quality vid of this out!

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liquidise
Probably warrants a (2013) tag. While the article is new, the video was
published nearly 3 years ago.

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jonnycowboy
Really looking forward to seeing these things "live" in Augmented Reality
(superimposed while in the modern city).

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chippy
I don't know the distances involved here, but I'd imagine there to be enough
of one to delay the sound from the volcano to the point of observation. I
wasn't sure that this animation took into account the speed of sound. It was
pretty cool regardless!

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LucaTNT
Great video, but 480p makes it hard to watch

