5 Facts About Mount Vesuvius

Mount Vesuvius is the famous volcano that killed thousands of people on the ancient Roman city of Pomeii in 79AD. Here are a few facts about the volcano:

• The people of Pompeii did not know that Mount Vesuvius was a volcano. Pompeii was built near the southeastern base of Mount Vesuvius.

• The volcanic soil was fertile and used for growing crops.

• Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano which means it is a cone-shaped volcano made up of alternate layers of lava and ash and its eruptions are explosive.

• The crater at the top of the cone is about 2000 feet wide

• The volcano has erupted dozens of times since it destroyed Pompeii. In 1631, 3000 people were killed in an eruption.

Are you teaching about ancient Rome? Check out our teaching resource on Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.