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Vesuvius
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Ruins of ancient Pompeii with stone arches and columns, a large grassy area in front, and Mount Vesuvius rising in the background.
Discover the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted
Mount Vesuvius Herculaneum Map depicting the 79 CE eruption of Mount Vesuvius near the Bay of Naples in Italy. The shaded gray area shows the extent of the volcanic smoke plume, covering cities such as Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae, which are marked with red dots to indicate they were destroyed. The map includes surrounding locations like Neapolis, Misenum, and Salernum, as well as the islands of Ischia and Capri. An inset shows the region's location within Italy.
Magma streaming down a volcano.
Watch buildings crumble during the volcanic eruption of Italy's Mount Vesuvius in 1944
excavations near Mount Vesuvius
At a Glance
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Vesuvius summary
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Vesuvius: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Invalidated site: National Trust - Why is Mount Vesuvius so famous? Sep 16, 2026
Add new Web site: Scientific Reports - Fifty years of seismicity of Mt. Vesuvius. Apr 18, 2026
Add new Web site: Academia - The Eruption of Vesuvius in A. D. 79: Reconstruction from Historical and Volcanological Evidence (PDF). Apr 25, 2025
Add new Web site: CORE - The Activity of Mount Vesuvius in the last 2000 Years (PDF). Oct 22, 2024
Media added. Aug 28, 2023
Add new Web site: Geology.com - Mount Vesuvius - Italy. Jan 06, 2023
Media revised. May 19, 2020
Add new Web site: National Trust - Why is Mount Vesuvius so famous? May 10, 2018
Add new Web site: LiveScience - Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. Oct 29, 2017
Media added. May 18, 2017
Added map depicting the smoke plume produced by the 79 CE eruption. Feb 15, 2017
Added "Mount Vesuvius" as an alternative title, clarified timing of several major eruptions, and changed "Publius Claudius Pulcher" to "Gaius Claudius Glaber." Feb 15, 2017
Add new Web site: University of St. Francis - Mount Vesuvius. Aug 05, 2016
Add new Web site: LiveScience - Mount Vesuvius & Pompeii: Facts & History. Aug 05, 2016
Add new Web site: Oregon State University - Volcano World - Vesuvius. Aug 05, 2016
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Mount Vesuvius. Mar 25, 2013
Added mention of the 1929 eruption. Dec 19, 2011
Geologic time data updated. Oct 06, 2009
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - History - What Would Happen If Mount Vesuvius Erupted Today? Oct 31, 2008
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Geography - Vesuvius. Jul 17, 2008
Article revised and updated. Dec 14, 2007
Article revised and updated. Oct 23, 2006
Article revised. Mar 28, 2003
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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