Which volcano’s 79 CE eruption buried Pompeii?

Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE and buried the Roman city of Pompeii.

Vesuvius is a stratovolcano on the Bay of Naples in southern Italy. Its famous eruption released ash, pumice and hot volcanic gases, burying Pompeii and nearby settlements such as Herculaneum. The exact date is debated because surviving manuscripts give different readings, but the eruption occurred in 79 CE.

The Roman author Pliny the Younger described the disaster in letters to the historian Tacitus. His account includes the distinctive umbrella-shaped eruption column and the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who commanded the Roman fleet and died during the rescue effort.

The eruption preserved buildings, streets, objects and human remains beneath volcanic deposits, giving archaeologists an unusually detailed view of Roman daily life. Vesuvius remains active and is considered one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes because millions of people live near it. Its last major eruption occurred in 1944.