Get the latest tech news
Pompeii experts back Pliny's account of Mount Vesuvius eruption date
Study suggests Pliny’s 24 August AD79 more likely than autumn dates suggested in 18th century
The date on which Mount Vesuvius erupted, wiping out the lives of thousands in ancient Pompeii and other nearby towns, has long divided scholars. Another written account of the eruption was provided by the Greek-Roman historian and senator, Cassius Dio, who referred to it occurring in the autumn, which in ancient Roman times began on 8 August. Zuchtriegel said that finds of ancient plants and fruits at the site, for example chestnuts, which today are associated with ripening during autumn, tended to contrast with Pliny’s date.
Or read this on Hacker News
