Annual reminder that although it is claimed, this probably *wasn’t* the day that Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 burying the landscape in volcanic debris and covering the Roman cities of #Pompeii and Herculaneum as well as rural villas in the area. According to letters Pliny the Younger wrote to Tacitus, detailing his eye-witness account of the AD 79 eruption, it happened on August 24th.
Except that it probably didn’t. We only have transcribed copies of these letters & so there’s a chance the date was copied down wrong.

I’ve waited 22 years but very recently I finally got to visit the Roman theatre at #Herculaneum which is still buried in the eruption material of AD 79. My excitement was palpable... #HerculaneumTheatre The Roman theatre in Herculaneum is located just north of the excavated part of the ancient town. But for a series of tunnels dug through it in the 18th/19th centuries, it lies hidden from view under the volcanic debris of 79AD. Only small glimpses of the structure are possible.

Had the great honour of talking to @pompeii_sites Director General, @MassimoOsanna, at the site of his new excavations: the first in 20 years to entirely dig through the 4 metres of ash and pumice stones from the AD 79 eruption.
Such an exciting project to watch unfold. #Pompeii @pompeii_sites @MassimoOsanna A few more views of the incredibly exciting first glimpses of the tops of the walls emerging from the volcanic ash & amphorae nestled in the pumice in the new excavations in Region V, #Pompeii.