Impact of explosive volcanic eruptions around Vesuvius: a story of resilience in Roman time

Abstract

Large explosive eruptions have reshaped the landscape around Vesuvius many times in prehistoric and historical times. Previous stratigraphic surveys suggested that people living in this area have probably abandoned their settlements (in the Bronze Age) or towns and villas (in the Roman period) for centuries after each major plinian eruption. New archaeological excavations on the northern slope of Vesuvius suggest a much more intriguing scenario. At Pollena Trocchia, an ongoing excavation has shown the superimposition of three different Roman structures, sandwiched between the deposits of the AD 79, AD 472, and AD 512 Vesuvius eruptions. Each of these eruptions more or less completely destroyed and buried the buildings under meters of volcanic products. Surprisingly, after a few years or decades, a new settlement was established exactly on the top of the buried one, indicating the immediate recovery of part of the devastated area. Our research documents the destruction of Roman buildings by volcanic eruptions over a period of five centuries (first to sixth century AD) and provides new insight into human behavior after major explosive eruptions.