Significance:
Gaius Caecilius , better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer and author as well as a magistrate of Rome. Pliny had written hundreds of letters over the course of his life, the most famous being ' Letters of Pliny' which he wrote to a famous historian of that time Publius Cornelius Tacitus describing the events of the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius 25 years later, at the age of 17. He had been living with his Uncle Gaius Plinius Secundus or, Pliny the Elder on the bay of Misenum for further education from his uncle. Pliny the Elder was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher as well as being a naval commander of the Roman empire .
In his first letters, he describes the series of events which unfolded before him across the sea from Pompeii and the death of his Uncle. His writings describe a detailed insight of what happened on that tragic day and throughout history have provided scientist with more knowledge of the type of eruption and why it occurred. Tacitus first asked Pliny to write about the eruption and his uncles death and through the letters wrote a detailed description of what happened. Pliny the younger was offered to travel with his uncle but stayed behind and finish his studies, a decision that saved himself from certain death. he began describing the massive ash cloud forming in the sky from Vesuvius which his aunt had pointed out to Pliny the Elder "The cloud was rising from a mountain -- at such a distance we couldn't tell which, but afterwards learned that it was Vesuvius. I can best describe its shape by likening it to a pine tree. It rose into the sky on a very long "trunk" from which spread some "branches." I imagine it had been raised by a sudden blast, which then weakened, leaving the cloud unsupported so that its own weight caused it to spread sideways. Some of the cloud was white, in other parts there were dark patches of dirt and ash." this description explains that Pliny has knowledge of natural science and events, adding to the detail in his letters and the scientific accuracy. The description of the ash cloud from the eruption is significant as it has provided scientists with new knowledge of the certain eruption which occurred. It also led to this eruption being named a Plinius Eruption.
Next, he wrote "The expedition that started out as a quest for knowledge now called for courage" as his uncle changed course towards Stabiae at the foot of Vesuvius after receiving a letter from Rectina , wife of Pomponianus pleading for help. The letter described his uncle as brave and heroic - "Was he afraid? It seems not" . After his arrival in Stabiae, with the intention of giving people around him a sense of calm, he gave every indication of sleeping, even snoring loud enough for passer bys to hear. Pliny the Elder died the next day after sitting up and not being able to return to his feet. They believed his death was due to the ash and toxins in the air "As I understand it, his breathing was obstructed by the dust-laden air" . though this description posed certain questions as to why the people around him were not affected by the dust laden air as he was. His body was found three days later with no signs of injury.
The second letter provided more information on detail of the actual eruption from a first hand account. He writes from his point of view with his mother after Pliny the Elder had set off on his journey. Pliny had not yet began to panic after the eruption began, urging his mother to keep calm and assure her everything was fine "There had been tremors for many days previously, a common occurrence in Campania and no cause for panic. But that night the shaking grew much stronger; people thought it was an upheaval, not just a tremor. My mother burst into my room and I got up. I said she should rest, and I would rouse her if need be." This was significant to knowledge of life in that time as it was the first time anything like this had happened and no one was sure how to react or what to do. Pliny, being an educated man, decided to keep level headed and wait to see what happens. His mother on the other hand didn't know any better and with many people at that time let her first instinct of panic take over. It was only when a friend of his Uncles who had recently arrived from Spain urged them to escape, the took to the streets. he described the crowd as "dazed" which tells us that perhaps many people thought this was the end of the world as they knew it. Pliny and his mother walked along at a slow pace with the crowd when he begun to notice strange events such as "as though the sea was being sucked backwards, as if it were being pushed back by the shaking of the land. Certainly the shoreline moved outwards". This describes the sea 'drawing back' - a common occurrence subsequent to earth movements such as earthquakes or volcanic activity. Providing yet another important detail towards a greater understanding of the eruption. Another important aspect of the eruption was when he states "We had scarcely sat down when a darkness came that was not like a moonless or cloudy night, but more like the black of closed and unlighted rooms." This describes the ash cloud which had risen nearly 30 kilometres into the air beginning to descend, covering the sky in an unnatural blackness. Although many people panicked and began to sob for their loved ones whom they could not see, Pliny tells of people turning towards their religion "Many raised their hands to the gods, and even more believed that there were no gods any longer and that this was one last unending night for the world. " Presenting a further insight towards Early Roman peoples beliefs as they questioned their Gods on why this was happening to them. Lighting and what Pliny described as fire in the sky, caused even more panic as they began to think that their once worshipped Gods had no deserted them. Ash continued to rain down on Pliny, his mother and the rest of Misenum, weighing them down as the layer grew thicker and thicker. "We stood up and shook the ash off again and again, otherwise we would have been covered with it and crushed by the weight." This quote from his letter assisted scientists in determining how fast ash had been falling from the sky and was calculated at roughly 15 cm coverage of ash per hour. This rapid rate led to the city being buried in up to five meters of ash. When the cloud began to ascend once again, it brought weak sunlight with it, allowing Pliny to witness the full extent of damage caused by Vesuvius. "The sight that met our still terrified eyes was a changed world, buried in ash like snow." bringing forth more evidence to support what was found when archaeologists began to excavate and uncover the cities affected by the eruption. Pliny and his mother then returned to their home and awaited news about Pliny the Elder.
Pliny's letters to Tacitus provided an abundance of information about his Uncles death and the events of the Vesuvius eruption. As crucial the information is, we must understand that Pliny's description could never be 100% accurate, as it was written 27 years later and his memory might not have kept a full recount of that day. Another issue would also be that the actions of his uncle whilst on Stabiae were retold by his friends and was not a first hand recount, leading to assumptions that his uncles friends may have lied in order to keep his uncles heroic legacy alive. this may have cause bias from both Pliny the elders friends, and Pliny the Younger. Without these letters, the knowledge of the events on August 24, 79 AD, would not be as accurate as they are this day. Pliny provided a detailed recount of the events near Vesuvius in Stabiae, and across the Gulf at Misenum, leading to people knowing that Pompeii was not the only city affected by this eruption - but had greater levels of damage and casualties.
In his first letters, he describes the series of events which unfolded before him across the sea from Pompeii and the death of his Uncle. His writings describe a detailed insight of what happened on that tragic day and throughout history have provided scientist with more knowledge of the type of eruption and why it occurred. Tacitus first asked Pliny to write about the eruption and his uncles death and through the letters wrote a detailed description of what happened. Pliny the younger was offered to travel with his uncle but stayed behind and finish his studies, a decision that saved himself from certain death. he began describing the massive ash cloud forming in the sky from Vesuvius which his aunt had pointed out to Pliny the Elder "The cloud was rising from a mountain -- at such a distance we couldn't tell which, but afterwards learned that it was Vesuvius. I can best describe its shape by likening it to a pine tree. It rose into the sky on a very long "trunk" from which spread some "branches." I imagine it had been raised by a sudden blast, which then weakened, leaving the cloud unsupported so that its own weight caused it to spread sideways. Some of the cloud was white, in other parts there were dark patches of dirt and ash." this description explains that Pliny has knowledge of natural science and events, adding to the detail in his letters and the scientific accuracy. The description of the ash cloud from the eruption is significant as it has provided scientists with new knowledge of the certain eruption which occurred. It also led to this eruption being named a Plinius Eruption.
Next, he wrote "The expedition that started out as a quest for knowledge now called for courage" as his uncle changed course towards Stabiae at the foot of Vesuvius after receiving a letter from Rectina , wife of Pomponianus pleading for help. The letter described his uncle as brave and heroic - "Was he afraid? It seems not" . After his arrival in Stabiae, with the intention of giving people around him a sense of calm, he gave every indication of sleeping, even snoring loud enough for passer bys to hear. Pliny the Elder died the next day after sitting up and not being able to return to his feet. They believed his death was due to the ash and toxins in the air "As I understand it, his breathing was obstructed by the dust-laden air" . though this description posed certain questions as to why the people around him were not affected by the dust laden air as he was. His body was found three days later with no signs of injury.
The second letter provided more information on detail of the actual eruption from a first hand account. He writes from his point of view with his mother after Pliny the Elder had set off on his journey. Pliny had not yet began to panic after the eruption began, urging his mother to keep calm and assure her everything was fine "There had been tremors for many days previously, a common occurrence in Campania and no cause for panic. But that night the shaking grew much stronger; people thought it was an upheaval, not just a tremor. My mother burst into my room and I got up. I said she should rest, and I would rouse her if need be." This was significant to knowledge of life in that time as it was the first time anything like this had happened and no one was sure how to react or what to do. Pliny, being an educated man, decided to keep level headed and wait to see what happens. His mother on the other hand didn't know any better and with many people at that time let her first instinct of panic take over. It was only when a friend of his Uncles who had recently arrived from Spain urged them to escape, the took to the streets. he described the crowd as "dazed" which tells us that perhaps many people thought this was the end of the world as they knew it. Pliny and his mother walked along at a slow pace with the crowd when he begun to notice strange events such as "as though the sea was being sucked backwards, as if it were being pushed back by the shaking of the land. Certainly the shoreline moved outwards". This describes the sea 'drawing back' - a common occurrence subsequent to earth movements such as earthquakes or volcanic activity. Providing yet another important detail towards a greater understanding of the eruption. Another important aspect of the eruption was when he states "We had scarcely sat down when a darkness came that was not like a moonless or cloudy night, but more like the black of closed and unlighted rooms." This describes the ash cloud which had risen nearly 30 kilometres into the air beginning to descend, covering the sky in an unnatural blackness. Although many people panicked and began to sob for their loved ones whom they could not see, Pliny tells of people turning towards their religion "Many raised their hands to the gods, and even more believed that there were no gods any longer and that this was one last unending night for the world. " Presenting a further insight towards Early Roman peoples beliefs as they questioned their Gods on why this was happening to them. Lighting and what Pliny described as fire in the sky, caused even more panic as they began to think that their once worshipped Gods had no deserted them. Ash continued to rain down on Pliny, his mother and the rest of Misenum, weighing them down as the layer grew thicker and thicker. "We stood up and shook the ash off again and again, otherwise we would have been covered with it and crushed by the weight." This quote from his letter assisted scientists in determining how fast ash had been falling from the sky and was calculated at roughly 15 cm coverage of ash per hour. This rapid rate led to the city being buried in up to five meters of ash. When the cloud began to ascend once again, it brought weak sunlight with it, allowing Pliny to witness the full extent of damage caused by Vesuvius. "The sight that met our still terrified eyes was a changed world, buried in ash like snow." bringing forth more evidence to support what was found when archaeologists began to excavate and uncover the cities affected by the eruption. Pliny and his mother then returned to their home and awaited news about Pliny the Elder.
Pliny's letters to Tacitus provided an abundance of information about his Uncles death and the events of the Vesuvius eruption. As crucial the information is, we must understand that Pliny's description could never be 100% accurate, as it was written 27 years later and his memory might not have kept a full recount of that day. Another issue would also be that the actions of his uncle whilst on Stabiae were retold by his friends and was not a first hand recount, leading to assumptions that his uncles friends may have lied in order to keep his uncles heroic legacy alive. this may have cause bias from both Pliny the elders friends, and Pliny the Younger. Without these letters, the knowledge of the events on August 24, 79 AD, would not be as accurate as they are this day. Pliny provided a detailed recount of the events near Vesuvius in Stabiae, and across the Gulf at Misenum, leading to people knowing that Pompeii was not the only city affected by this eruption - but had greater levels of damage and casualties.