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Narrator: the lost roman town
Of herculaneum,
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Buried in the devastating
Eruption of mount vesuvius.
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This is the best-preserved town
In the whole roman world.
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Narrator: the destruction of its
Neighbor, pompeii, is legendary.
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But herculaneum's story
Is a mystery.
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What really happened during
Its terrifying final hours?
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Today, scientists
Use forensic technology
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00:00:36,862 --> 00:00:39,103
And multispectral imaging
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To reveal the shocking truth
Behind herculaneum's fate.
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Blank: reading the papyrus
Has been the biggest challenge
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00:00:45,758 --> 00:00:48,551
That I've had
In my professional life.
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Narrator:
Why does fiery vesuvius preserve
This town in astonishing detail?
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Giordano: herculaneum
Is completely changing
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Our understanding of what
Happened on that terrible day.
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Narrator: can new discoveries
Here change the way
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We see the most famous
Volcanic eruption of all time?
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To solve these mysteries,
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We'll dig inside this
Extraordinary volcanic tomb.
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We'll tunnel
Into ancient buildings
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And come face-to-face
With their doomed residents
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And reveal the dark secrets
Of pompeii's forgotten twin.
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--captions by vitac--
Www.Vitac.Com
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Captions paid for by
Discovery communications
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♪♪
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In the bay of naples in italy
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Lies a buried ancient wonder --
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Herculaneum,
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A roman town that sits
In the shadow of mount vesuvius.
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In 79 a.D.,
This fiery giant erupts,
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Destroying this town
And its neighbor pompeii.
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Today, pompeii is world-famous,
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But herculaneum,
In comparison, is unknown.
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Beneath these modern streets
Lies a lost world.
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Buried under 75 feet
Of volcanic material,
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A town frozen in time
For nearly 2000 years.
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Roads criss-crossed
The ghost town,
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Flanked on each side
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By the scorched remains of
Shops, bars, and homes.
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But in its prime, its streets
Are colorful and vibrant.
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This is a town
Home to over 4,000 people.
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But just four miles to the east,
The sleeping volcano vesuvius.
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Can new discoveries here
Give us fresh insight
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Into the terrifying eruption?
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The town covers an area
The size of 30 football fields.
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But three-quarters of it
Remains buried.
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Andrew wallace hadrill
Is director
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Of the herculaneum
Conservation project.
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He investigates the final hours
Of this extraordinary town.
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Herculaneum was destroyed
In the same eruption as pompeii.
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But unlike pompeii,
The quality of preservation here
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Is quite exceptional.
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Narrator: herculaneum is
A volcanic time capsule.
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It is preserved in a flash,
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Burying clues that can now
Reveal exactly what happens
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When vesuvius erupts.
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Narrator: look at the height to
Which this house is preserved.
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There are upper floors there.
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In pompeii, upper floors
Are mostly completely destroyed.
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And then there's woodwork.
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Look at this wooden screen
Going across.
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The preservation of this
Wooden screen is extraordinary.
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Narrator: it's not just
Buildings that are
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Frozen in time here.
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Inside the buildings,
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Archaeologists discover
Thousands of objects.
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One of the rarest things
About herculaneum
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Is the survival
Of wooden furniture.
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Here we've got a bed,
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Wonderful sort of
Chest of drawers,
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And here's a very moving
Thing -- a cradle.
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The baby was lying in the cradle
When they found it.
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Narrator: excavators also find
Remains of food.
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Hadrill: here are some figs.
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Herculaneum was famous
For its figs.
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You can almost nibble at them.
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And here --
This is my favorite --
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A loaf of bread.
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And it comes from the baker
Ready scored for breaking off.
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Narrator: herculaneum is
Uncovered accidentally
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In the 18th century
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When a farmer is digging
For a well and finds a wall.
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Today, archaeologists are
Still excavating the town
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From under millions
Of tons of volcanic rock.
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In one corner,
An enormous villa emerges.
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What we see here is the cliff
Face of an enormous excavation,
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And right down at the bottom
Of it is the villa.
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We've only excavated
A small corner of it,
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About a tenth
Of the whole villa.
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The rest continues way off
In that direction.
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Narrator: when the original
Excavation starts
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At the huge villa,
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Workmen carve narrow tunnels
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Into the thick volcanic rock
By hand.
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After more than
Two years of digging,
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They break through into a room
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With strange black cylinders
Scattered on the floor
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And on shelves.
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Over 1,700 papyrus scrolls
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Baked black
By the heat of the eruption.
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This is the only intact library
From the ancient world.
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A monumental find.
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What can these scrolls
Reveal about life here
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In the shadow of vesuvius?
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The tunnels excavated
Through the villa
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Are off-limits to most visitors.
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Andrew has unique access
To explore
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This claustrophobic labyrinth.
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So here we are deep under
Tons of volcanic material
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Chucked out by vesuvius
That solidifies to hard rock.
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Narrator: these tunnels
Are still untouched
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Since the 1700s.
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Deep down here,
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Right at the end
Of this tunnel,
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Is where the excavators found
The library of papyri.
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Narrator: most of the library
Remains under volcanic rock.
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Only a small section
Has been explored.
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Hadrill: this is the tiny room
In which the explorers
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Of the villa found hundreds
Of rolls of papyrus.
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They looked like
Burnt lumps of coal.
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00:07:06,379 --> 00:07:09,586
Initially, they started chucking
Them away until they realized
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00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:11,827
"No, this is something
Much more precious.
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There's writing on them."
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Narrator:
But what do the scrolls say?
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Hadrill: these papyrus scrolls
Are so blackened
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That it's virtually impossible
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To read the black ink
Against the black paper.
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Narrator: today, the fragile
Scrolls are stored here
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At the national library
In naples.
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Papyrologist david blank
Works to decode
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These mysterious ancient texts.
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Blank: reading the papyrus
And reconstructing its text
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And then making sense of it
Has been the biggest challenge
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That I've had
In my professional life.
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Narrator: when the scrolls
Are found back in the 1700s,
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They cause a sensation.
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People come from across
The globe to see them.
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00:08:03,793 --> 00:08:07,137
They soon become
Political currency.
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The king of naples
Gives six scrolls to napoleon
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As a peace offering.
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He also gifts 18 scrolls
To the british
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In exchange for
18 live kangaroos.
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But whenever someone tries
To open them,
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They crumble to dust.
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Many scrolls are destroyed
In an attempt to read them.
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What secrets
Do the scrolls hide?
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Blank: the papyri are
Extremely fragile.
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If you touch them,
They fall apart.
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Sometimes they fall apart
Even if you don't touch them.
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Sometimes there are also
Holes in them
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Because parts have
Stuck together.
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Narrator: reading the damaged
Fragments is almost impossible
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With the naked eye.
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We have basically
A black background
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In the better preserved papyri,
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And then you have the ink which
Is slightly shiny on top of it.
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You can barely see it.
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Narrator: to decipher them,
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David uses a groundbreaking
Technology created by nasa
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Called multispectral imaging.
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It uses different wavelengths
Of infrared light
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To separate the ink
From the background.
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Suddenly you could see
Whole lines of letters and text
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That you could actually
Then reconstruct
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Into an intelligible
Piece of writing.
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So in essence, we're using
Digital-age technology
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To read something that was
Written 2,000 years ago.
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And that's really pretty great.
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Narrator: david believes the
Scrolls may hide clues
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About the villa.
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Blank:
To know how to read in rome
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Was already something of
A rare-ish achievement.
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And to own a lot of books,
To own a library
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And a place in which
You could store them,
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In which you could read them,
And so on,
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Was something that really only
Wealthy people could do.
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Narrator: when david deciphers
The fragments,
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He discovers that most
Of the scrolls are written
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By a greek philosopher.
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It's a vital clue to the
Identity of the villa's owner.
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Blank: this philosopher had
A very important roman patron
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Who was piso.
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And piso was also the
Father-in-law of julius caesar,
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And so a person
Who can obviously afford
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This extremely
Luxurious establishment.
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Narrator:
Julius caesar is one of the
Most famous romans in history.
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Rome's all powerful dictator.
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His father-in-law's villa
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Is one of
The most magnificent ever found.
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It's almost 800 feet long.
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Inside are the ruins of what
Once were beautiful terraces,
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A swimming pool,
And a private vineyard.
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Andrew believes
The villa de papyri
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Reveals what sort of place
Herculaneum is.
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Hadrill: in its present state,
You can only begin to imagine
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00:11:13,448 --> 00:11:17,551
The extraordinary size
And beauty of this villa.
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This is rich at a global level.
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00:11:20,724 --> 00:11:25,000
This is a guy who was
Father-in-law of julius caesar.
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You don't get more important
Than that in roman society.
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Narrator:
The discovery of the villa
And its incredible papyri
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Reveal that herculaneum
Is far wealthier
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And important
Than its neighbor pompeii.
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You can think of pompeii
As a working city.
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00:11:45,413 --> 00:11:49,586
Herculaneum, by comparison,
Is more of a vacation city.
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This area was the playground
Of the roman rich.
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The people who made money out of
An empire came on holiday here
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And spread out in full luxury.
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00:12:02,137 --> 00:12:04,448
Narrator: herculaneum's
Remarkable treasures
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00:12:04,482 --> 00:12:08,896
Reveal a wealthy town
Cut off in its prime.
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00:12:08,931 --> 00:12:11,448
Its citizens abandoned
Their elegant homes
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00:12:11,482 --> 00:12:14,827
In a desperate attempt
To escape.
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00:12:14,862 --> 00:12:19,000
Why is herculaneum
So well-preserved?
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00:12:19,034 --> 00:12:20,793
How does so much of this town
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00:12:20,827 --> 00:12:24,034
Survive a catastrophic
Volcanic eruption?
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00:12:24,068 --> 00:12:30,206
♪♪
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00:12:31,689 --> 00:12:35,758
♪♪
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00:12:35,793 --> 00:12:39,310
Narrator:
The roman town of herculaneum --
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00:12:39,344 --> 00:12:42,551
An astonishing time capsule.
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00:12:42,586 --> 00:12:46,172
The same volcanic eruption
That destroys pompeii
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Fossilizes this town.
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00:12:48,586 --> 00:12:52,620
Archaeologists
Discover furniture, food,
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00:12:52,655 --> 00:12:55,275
Even thousands
Of papyrus scrolls.
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00:12:55,310 --> 00:12:58,896
Geologist guido giordano
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00:12:58,931 --> 00:13:01,241
Hunts for forensic evidence
To understand
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00:13:01,275 --> 00:13:04,551
What preserves this town.
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00:13:04,586 --> 00:13:06,827
Look at this house.
It's fantastic.
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00:13:10,413 --> 00:13:13,517
Narrator: encased in a rocky
Cocoon of volcanic ash
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00:13:13,551 --> 00:13:19,241
For nearly 2,000 years
Is the villa de papyri.
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00:13:19,275 --> 00:13:22,310
When archaeologists
Unearth these rooms,
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00:13:22,344 --> 00:13:25,896
They reveal wooden roof supports
Scarred black.
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00:13:28,172 --> 00:13:32,620
Further excavation uncovers
Elaborate frescoes
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00:13:32,655 --> 00:13:37,793
Transformed from their original
Yellow to a deep red.
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00:13:37,827 --> 00:13:41,344
Both are clues of
A destructive force
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00:13:41,379 --> 00:13:46,310
Unlike anything seen
At nearby pompeii.
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00:13:46,344 --> 00:13:51,517
How has so much survived the
Apocalyptic force of a volcano?
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00:13:55,103 --> 00:13:57,379
Guido investigates
The volcanic rock
236
00:13:57,413 --> 00:13:59,724
That covers the site.
237
00:13:59,758 --> 00:14:04,310
This cliff is about 80 feet.
238
00:14:04,344 --> 00:14:10,241
Now, this is enough
To completely bury the old town.
239
00:14:10,275 --> 00:14:12,931
Narrator: guido believes
The different layers of deposits
240
00:14:12,965 --> 00:14:15,482
Are like a volcanic fingerprint.
241
00:14:15,517 --> 00:14:19,620
They reveal exactly what happens
On the day of the eruption.
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00:14:19,655 --> 00:14:23,827
You can clearly see layering
And changes in color.
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00:14:23,862 --> 00:14:26,931
The lower part is yellow.
Then it turns into grey.
244
00:14:26,965 --> 00:14:31,241
Looking closer to the texture
And structure of the deposit,
245
00:14:31,275 --> 00:14:37,241
We can work out it's actually
Made by several volcanic surges.
246
00:14:39,206 --> 00:14:41,758
Narrator: for the first 12 hours
Of its eruption,
247
00:14:41,793 --> 00:14:45,724
Vesuvius throws gas and debris
Into the air
248
00:14:45,758 --> 00:14:50,827
Until it towers 21 miles
Into the stratosphere.
249
00:14:50,862 --> 00:14:55,000
Northwesterly winds
Blow it towards pompeii.
250
00:14:55,034 --> 00:14:58,724
And herculaneum to the west
Is initially spared.
251
00:15:02,068 --> 00:15:05,379
During the night,
The ash tower collapses.
252
00:15:05,413 --> 00:15:09,103
A surge of ash and hot gas
Barrels down the volcano,
253
00:15:09,137 --> 00:15:12,689
Blasting its way
Through herculaneum.
254
00:15:12,724 --> 00:15:15,241
Five more surges
Bury the town's buildings
255
00:15:15,275 --> 00:15:18,000
In thick layers of material,
256
00:15:18,034 --> 00:15:22,482
Preserving structures, objects,
And victims almost intact.
257
00:15:24,689 --> 00:15:28,275
This phenomenon is called
Pyroclastic flow.
258
00:15:30,896 --> 00:15:34,655
Why doesn't it simply
Burn everything in its path?
259
00:15:37,413 --> 00:15:40,551
Buongiorno.
Ciao, ciao.
260
00:15:40,586 --> 00:15:42,793
In his lab in rome,
261
00:15:42,827 --> 00:15:46,965
Guido sets up an experiment
To investigate this mystery.
262
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,000
Giordano: we start with a piece
Of fresh wood
263
00:15:50,034 --> 00:15:51,758
From the herculaneum area,
264
00:15:51,793 --> 00:15:55,241
Which is the same species
Of the carbon
265
00:15:55,275 --> 00:15:57,137
That we find in the deposits.
266
00:15:57,172 --> 00:15:59,034
Narrator: he puts the sample
267
00:15:59,068 --> 00:16:02,724
Inside a heating device
Called a calorimeter
268
00:16:02,758 --> 00:16:05,206
To discover what happens
To the exposed wood
269
00:16:05,241 --> 00:16:08,965
From herculaneum
During the eruption.
270
00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,448
Giordano:
Usually we think that
271
00:16:10,482 --> 00:16:15,310
Wood can burn with flame
And oxygen in a fire.
272
00:16:17,275 --> 00:16:22,517
Narrator: but a pyroclastic flow
Is a cloud of toxic gas.
273
00:16:22,551 --> 00:16:28,000
There's no flame or oxygen,
So objects can't burn.
274
00:16:28,034 --> 00:16:31,172
Giordano: what we learned
Is that if we heat up
275
00:16:31,206 --> 00:16:34,068
To a very high temperature
With no oxygen,
276
00:16:34,103 --> 00:16:37,517
This piece of wood,
It carbonizes.
277
00:16:37,551 --> 00:16:41,206
But it maintains its shape.
278
00:16:41,241 --> 00:16:42,689
Narrator:
But how hot does it get
279
00:16:42,724 --> 00:16:46,827
In order to carbonize
Everything in its path?
280
00:16:46,862 --> 00:16:50,551
So now we will run
Several of these experiments
281
00:16:50,586 --> 00:16:52,000
At different temperatures
282
00:16:52,034 --> 00:16:55,931
By increasing
50 degrees each time.
283
00:16:55,965 --> 00:16:58,068
Then they use
A spectrum microscope
284
00:16:58,103 --> 00:16:59,724
To compare the modern samples
285
00:16:59,758 --> 00:17:03,034
To the ancient ones
From herculaneum.
286
00:17:03,068 --> 00:17:04,931
This shows
The equivalent temperature
287
00:17:04,965 --> 00:17:09,793
At which the villa de papyri
Wood has been carbonized.
288
00:17:09,827 --> 00:17:14,275
Giordano:
The results demonstrate
The samples of carbon
289
00:17:14,310 --> 00:17:16,862
That we found out
In herculaneum
290
00:17:16,896 --> 00:17:18,896
Were actually carbonized
291
00:17:18,931 --> 00:17:23,000
To a temperature
Of nearly 500 celsius degrees,
292
00:17:23,034 --> 00:17:28,310
Which is almost
1,000 fahrenheit degrees.
293
00:17:28,344 --> 00:17:32,620
Narrator: in this fiercely hot
Oxygen-free environment,
294
00:17:32,655 --> 00:17:37,931
The wooden objects and papyrus
Scrolls turned to carbon.
295
00:17:37,965 --> 00:17:42,758
A thick layer of ash
Then sets around the town.
296
00:17:42,793 --> 00:17:46,000
It insulates everything
In a protective layer.
297
00:17:46,034 --> 00:17:49,482
Giordano: it is thanks to these
Unique set of circumstances
298
00:17:49,517 --> 00:17:54,103
That we can learn so much
About roman life
299
00:17:54,137 --> 00:17:57,103
Even after nearly 2,000 years.
300
00:17:58,517 --> 00:18:00,034
Narrator: vesuvius preserves
301
00:18:00,068 --> 00:18:03,689
Herculaneum's
Astonishing treasures.
302
00:18:03,724 --> 00:18:06,931
But what happens
To the people who live here?
303
00:18:06,965 --> 00:18:08,620
Can a gruesome discovery
304
00:18:08,655 --> 00:18:12,137
Reveal more about vesuvius'
Terrifying inferno?
305
00:18:12,172 --> 00:18:17,034
♪♪
306
00:18:18,344 --> 00:18:22,241
♪♪
307
00:18:22,275 --> 00:18:24,620
Narrator: the lost roman town
Of herculaneum
308
00:18:24,655 --> 00:18:28,896
Is slowly revealing its secrets.
309
00:18:28,931 --> 00:18:31,758
New discoveries help us
To understand what happens here
310
00:18:31,793 --> 00:18:35,068
When vesuvius erupts in 79 a.D.
311
00:18:36,517 --> 00:18:40,517
2,000 years ago,
A searing-hot cloud of toxic gas
312
00:18:40,551 --> 00:18:44,517
Preserves these fine buildings.
313
00:18:44,551 --> 00:18:46,137
At nearby pompeii,
314
00:18:46,172 --> 00:18:51,068
Archaeologists unearthed
More than 1,000 bodies.
315
00:18:51,103 --> 00:18:55,413
But herculaneum's victims
Remain elusive.
316
00:18:55,448 --> 00:18:58,517
Until a grim find
Reveals their fate.
317
00:19:01,586 --> 00:19:05,137
When archaeologists
Uncover these grand arches,
318
00:19:05,172 --> 00:19:07,758
They make
A shocking discovery --
319
00:19:07,793 --> 00:19:13,172
More than 300 skeletons
Frozen in time.
320
00:19:13,206 --> 00:19:17,482
Among them, women and children
Huddled together,
321
00:19:17,517 --> 00:19:23,931
A woman cradling her baby,
322
00:19:23,965 --> 00:19:26,724
And a young boy
Clinging to his dog.
323
00:19:28,827 --> 00:19:33,310
Today, these arches
Are 1,600 feet inland.
324
00:19:33,344 --> 00:19:37,827
But when vesuvius erupts,
They are boathouses.
325
00:19:37,862 --> 00:19:40,517
What can these unfortunate
People reveal
326
00:19:40,551 --> 00:19:43,655
About the most
Dramatic eruption of all time?
327
00:19:45,724 --> 00:19:48,448
Forensic anthropologist
Pier paolo petrone
328
00:19:48,482 --> 00:19:51,517
Hunts for answers.
329
00:19:51,551 --> 00:19:55,758
He wants to find out why
So many people die in one place.
330
00:20:13,793 --> 00:20:19,068
At first, it looks like these
People die waiting for rescue.
331
00:20:19,103 --> 00:20:22,413
But when pier paolo studies
The position of the bodies,
332
00:20:22,448 --> 00:20:25,551
He finds that they are
All trying to take shelter.
333
00:20:40,827 --> 00:20:44,655
Why don't these people
Try to escape?
334
00:20:44,689 --> 00:20:46,827
Pier paolo thinks
He knows the answer.
335
00:20:58,206 --> 00:21:02,724
Narrator:
Hours before vesuvius erupts,
336
00:21:02,758 --> 00:21:06,862
Magma pressure causes
A series of tremors.
337
00:21:06,896 --> 00:21:11,379
In herculaneum, people search
For shelter from an earthquake.
338
00:21:22,448 --> 00:21:24,827
Narrator: people in
The bay of naples see vesuvius
339
00:21:24,862 --> 00:21:28,206
Simply as a good place
To grow food.
340
00:21:28,241 --> 00:21:33,793
They use its rich soil for
Growing grapes and other crops.
341
00:21:33,827 --> 00:21:36,482
But earthquakes are common
In the area.
342
00:21:36,517 --> 00:21:38,793
And in the 62 a.D. Earthquake,
343
00:21:38,827 --> 00:21:43,068
Buildings in herculaneum
And pompeii are badly damaged.
344
00:21:45,206 --> 00:21:50,000
Local people don't connect
The earthquakes to vesuvius.
345
00:21:50,034 --> 00:21:51,551
They continue their lives
346
00:21:51,586 --> 00:21:55,931
Unaware of the danger
That looms nearby.
347
00:21:55,965 --> 00:22:01,137
When vesuvius erupts in 79 a.D.,
It's sudden and shocking.
348
00:22:01,172 --> 00:22:03,931
By the time people realized
The danger they're in,
349
00:22:03,965 --> 00:22:06,724
It's too late.
350
00:22:06,758 --> 00:22:10,724
So do these people suffocate
As the ash starts to fall?
351
00:22:12,965 --> 00:22:15,206
In his forensic lab in naples,
352
00:22:15,241 --> 00:22:17,275
Pier paolo
Searches the skeletons
353
00:22:17,310 --> 00:22:19,551
For the cause of death.
354
00:22:33,586 --> 00:22:37,586
Pier paolo believes the skulls
Aren't broken from the outside
355
00:22:37,620 --> 00:22:39,551
But from the inside.
356
00:22:53,655 --> 00:22:56,655
Pier paolo discovers
A strange red residue
357
00:22:56,689 --> 00:22:58,655
Covering many of the bones.
358
00:23:14,620 --> 00:23:16,896
It's evidence that
The furnace-like heat
359
00:23:16,931 --> 00:23:21,655
Of a pyroclastic flow
Kills these people.
360
00:23:21,689 --> 00:23:23,620
Mercifully, this gruesome death
361
00:23:23,655 --> 00:23:25,034
Happened so fast
362
00:23:25,068 --> 00:23:26,862
The victims don't know
What hits them.
363
00:23:42,137 --> 00:23:46,103
The pyroclastic flow incinerates
The herculaneum 300
364
00:23:46,137 --> 00:23:50,241
As they huddle together
By the shore.
365
00:23:50,275 --> 00:23:54,103
Who are these
Unfortunate people?
366
00:23:54,137 --> 00:23:58,000
And what more can a bizarre find
On the other side of town
367
00:23:58,034 --> 00:24:01,034
Tell us about
The deadly ancient eruption?
368
00:24:01,068 --> 00:24:06,827
♪♪
369
00:24:08,137 --> 00:24:13,000
♪♪
370
00:24:13,034 --> 00:24:17,724
Narrator: 12 hours into
Mount vesuvius' eruption,
371
00:24:17,758 --> 00:24:20,068
A deadly blast of hot air
And gas
372
00:24:20,103 --> 00:24:23,896
Races down the volcano's slopes.
373
00:24:23,931 --> 00:24:27,758
It strikes the luxury
Seaside town of herculaneum
374
00:24:27,793 --> 00:24:30,310
Within seconds.
375
00:24:30,344 --> 00:24:32,137
At the seafront boathouses,
376
00:24:32,172 --> 00:24:37,862
300 people are incinerated
In an instant.
377
00:24:37,896 --> 00:24:41,241
But they're not the only victims
Of vesuvius' wrath.
378
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,724
In a building on the corner
Of the main street,
379
00:24:46,758 --> 00:24:49,275
A hidden room.
380
00:24:49,310 --> 00:24:55,448
Inside, a stone plinth supports
The remains of a wooden bed.
381
00:24:55,482 --> 00:24:57,448
And in the center,
382
00:24:57,482 --> 00:24:59,551
The skeleton of a man,
383
00:24:59,586 --> 00:25:02,965
Buried where he sleeps.
384
00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,793
Inside his exploded skull,
A strange discovery --
385
00:25:08,827 --> 00:25:13,206
Unknown fragments
That looked like glass.
386
00:25:13,241 --> 00:25:15,689
What is this bizarre material?
387
00:25:15,724 --> 00:25:18,241
And what can this man tell us
388
00:25:18,275 --> 00:25:21,793
About the most famous
Volcanic eruption in history?
389
00:25:21,827 --> 00:25:28,448
♪♪
390
00:25:28,482 --> 00:25:33,413
The man is locked for
2,000 years in volcanic rock.
391
00:25:33,448 --> 00:25:36,275
Forensic archaeologist
Pier paolo petrone
392
00:25:36,310 --> 00:25:40,586
Is the first person
To investigate his death.
393
00:25:40,620 --> 00:25:43,413
He believes this body
Can reveal new clues
394
00:25:43,448 --> 00:25:47,344
To what happens on the night
Vesuvius explodes.
395
00:26:02,172 --> 00:26:05,586
The skeleton and wooden bed
Are completely carbonized
396
00:26:05,620 --> 00:26:09,482
By the pyroclastic flow
That engulfs the room.
397
00:26:25,793 --> 00:26:33,275
♪♪
398
00:26:33,310 --> 00:26:35,137
Ciao.
Ciao.
399
00:26:35,172 --> 00:26:37,586
Pier paolo takes
The mysterious material
400
00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:38,827
Back to his lab
401
00:26:38,862 --> 00:26:43,275
At the university of naples
To investigate.
402
00:26:55,068 --> 00:26:58,310
At the boathouses,
The pyroclastic flow boils
403
00:26:58,344 --> 00:27:01,862
And vaporizes people's brains.
404
00:27:01,896 --> 00:27:04,655
But here on the opposite side
Of town,
405
00:27:04,689 --> 00:27:08,758
It melts one into
A jagged glassy solid.
406
00:27:20,551 --> 00:27:22,275
Pier paolo wants to find out
407
00:27:22,310 --> 00:27:24,620
Why the conditions here
Are so different
408
00:27:24,655 --> 00:27:27,413
From at the boathouses.
409
00:27:41,724 --> 00:27:45,206
When the pyroclastic flow
Reaches the boathouses,
410
00:27:45,241 --> 00:27:48,275
It mixes with the sea air
And cools.
411
00:27:52,655 --> 00:27:57,758
It's still hot enough to
Vaporize flesh and boil brain,
412
00:27:57,793 --> 00:28:00,241
But leaves the skeletons intact.
413
00:28:03,379 --> 00:28:05,758
But in the town's
Enclosed buildings,
414
00:28:05,793 --> 00:28:08,862
The flow maintains
Its intense heat,
415
00:28:08,896 --> 00:28:11,448
Turning houses into furnaces.
416
00:28:14,655 --> 00:28:17,931
This much hotter flow strips
And then carbonizes
417
00:28:17,965 --> 00:28:21,551
The victim's skeleton
Within fractions of a second,
418
00:28:21,586 --> 00:28:23,482
Transforming his brain.
419
00:28:26,068 --> 00:28:30,137
This unfortunate man
Dies alone in the house.
420
00:28:30,172 --> 00:28:33,862
Is he sick, unable to escape?
421
00:28:33,896 --> 00:28:38,344
Pier paolo has another theory
To explain why he stays.
422
00:28:50,517 --> 00:28:53,172
Pier paolo believes
The building's rich owners
423
00:28:53,206 --> 00:28:55,103
Might order the man to stay
424
00:28:55,137 --> 00:28:56,965
And protect this house
425
00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,793
Even as they flee.
426
00:29:07,758 --> 00:29:11,482
♪♪
427
00:29:11,517 --> 00:29:13,206
As the volcano erupts,
428
00:29:13,241 --> 00:29:17,206
The caretaker
Dies asleep in his bed.
429
00:29:17,241 --> 00:29:21,827
He remains faithful to
His masters until the very end.
430
00:29:21,862 --> 00:29:25,793
Can the discovery of a statue
In herculaneum's main hall
431
00:29:25,827 --> 00:29:29,586
Reveal more dark secrets
In this doomed town?
432
00:29:29,620 --> 00:29:33,586
♪♪
433
00:29:34,896 --> 00:29:40,448
♪♪
434
00:29:40,482 --> 00:29:43,413
Narrator: 79 a.D. --
435
00:29:43,448 --> 00:29:47,896
Vesuvius erupts
With devastating fury.
436
00:29:47,931 --> 00:29:50,551
In nearby herculaneum,
437
00:29:50,586 --> 00:29:54,448
Some people are too late
To make their escape.
438
00:29:54,482 --> 00:29:59,896
Now new evidence suggests
That not everyone has a choice.
439
00:29:59,931 --> 00:30:04,793
Are some people forced
To stay behind and die?
440
00:30:04,827 --> 00:30:07,206
A clue uncovered
In the heart of the town
441
00:30:07,241 --> 00:30:09,758
Could help solve the mystery
442
00:30:09,793 --> 00:30:13,310
And points to a darker side
Of life in the roman world.
443
00:30:16,724 --> 00:30:19,793
When archaeologists unearth
One of herculaneum's
444
00:30:19,827 --> 00:30:24,551
Biggest public buildings,
The basilica,
445
00:30:24,586 --> 00:30:28,862
They discover a statue
Hidden in the ash.
446
00:30:28,896 --> 00:30:32,310
It is of a man named
Marcus nonius balbus.
447
00:30:35,344 --> 00:30:39,758
And shattered into pieces
Are marble tablets
448
00:30:39,793 --> 00:30:44,862
Listing the names of
500 inhabitants of the town.
449
00:30:44,896 --> 00:30:49,724
Many of them are also named
Marcus nonius.
450
00:30:49,758 --> 00:30:52,448
Who is this mysterious man?
451
00:30:52,482 --> 00:30:55,931
Why do so many people
In herculaneum share his name?
452
00:31:00,310 --> 00:31:02,517
Archaeologist
Andrew wallace hadrill
453
00:31:02,551 --> 00:31:05,103
Wants to find out
How they are connected.
454
00:31:08,344 --> 00:31:12,862
His investigation begins
In the town's main square.
455
00:31:12,896 --> 00:31:14,689
Hadrill:
So here we have this guy.
456
00:31:14,724 --> 00:31:17,586
He really is
The mr. Big of herculaneum.
457
00:31:17,620 --> 00:31:20,517
We've got his name,
Marcus nonius balbus,
458
00:31:20,551 --> 00:31:23,068
And we've got
His enormous importance.
459
00:31:23,103 --> 00:31:25,724
He's been praetor in rome
And proconsul.
460
00:31:25,758 --> 00:31:27,896
That means
A provincial governor.
461
00:31:27,931 --> 00:31:31,379
Being a provincial governor
Means making a lot of money.
462
00:31:31,413 --> 00:31:34,586
Narrator:
On an altar next to the statue,
463
00:31:34,620 --> 00:31:37,655
Andrew finds
A second inscription.
464
00:31:37,689 --> 00:31:40,862
This great lump of marble
Is his tomb.
465
00:31:40,896 --> 00:31:43,206
And the glorious inscription
466
00:31:43,241 --> 00:31:45,896
Tells you
How generous he has been.
467
00:31:45,931 --> 00:31:48,896
He has been like a parent
To the city.
468
00:31:48,931 --> 00:31:53,586
He remade the town walls,
The town gates, the roads,
469
00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:56,586
And even built a basilica.
470
00:31:56,620 --> 00:31:59,034
Narrator: this marcus nonius
471
00:31:59,068 --> 00:32:03,103
Is the town's
Most important citizen.
472
00:32:03,137 --> 00:32:04,620
But at a nearby house,
473
00:32:04,655 --> 00:32:09,793
Andrew finds the same name
On a sign hanging from the wall.
474
00:32:09,827 --> 00:32:13,586
This one belongs to
A very different kind of person.
475
00:32:13,620 --> 00:32:16,517
This sign records a dispute
Between two neighbors.
476
00:32:16,551 --> 00:32:19,758
On one side, julia,
And on the other side,
477
00:32:19,793 --> 00:32:21,689
Marcus nonius dama.
478
00:32:21,724 --> 00:32:25,827
Dama almost certainly means
He comes from damascus.
479
00:32:25,862 --> 00:32:27,862
He's a syrian.
480
00:32:27,896 --> 00:32:31,241
Narrator: this new marcus nonius
Is from the middle east.
481
00:32:31,275 --> 00:32:33,103
Who is he?
482
00:32:33,137 --> 00:32:36,724
And why is he here?
483
00:32:36,758 --> 00:32:39,655
As the roman empire
Expands across europe,
484
00:32:39,689 --> 00:32:41,931
The middle east,
And north africa,
485
00:32:41,965 --> 00:32:46,310
Defeated people are captured
And sent back to rome as slaves.
486
00:32:48,689 --> 00:32:53,000
They are put to work
Enduring hard labor.
487
00:32:53,034 --> 00:32:56,241
And many are kept in chains
Day and night.
488
00:32:59,827 --> 00:33:03,620
Roman slaves are
Allowed to earn money
489
00:33:03,655 --> 00:33:06,862
And over time can eventually
Buy their freedom.
490
00:33:09,965 --> 00:33:11,655
To sanction their release,
491
00:33:11,689 --> 00:33:15,241
The master touches them
On the head with a staff.
492
00:33:15,275 --> 00:33:18,379
Then they take their old
Master's name as their own.
493
00:33:22,689 --> 00:33:25,310
Andrew believes that
The original marcus nonius
494
00:33:25,344 --> 00:33:28,862
Is a wealthy slave owner.
495
00:33:28,896 --> 00:33:33,241
The owner of the tiny house
Is his former slave.
496
00:33:33,275 --> 00:33:34,655
Hadrill: if you are wealthy
497
00:33:34,689 --> 00:33:37,000
On the level of
Marcus nonius balbus,
498
00:33:37,034 --> 00:33:41,068
You have probably
Hundreds of slaves.
499
00:33:41,103 --> 00:33:42,482
Narrator: herculaneum is home to
500
00:33:42,517 --> 00:33:46,172
Some of the richest people
In the empire.
501
00:33:46,206 --> 00:33:49,551
Each family will own
Many slaves.
502
00:33:49,586 --> 00:33:52,241
Hadrill: so this is a town in
Which there is an enormous gap
503
00:33:52,275 --> 00:33:54,655
Between free people and slaves.
504
00:33:54,689 --> 00:33:58,034
Here's an inscription
Where the local magistrates say
505
00:33:58,068 --> 00:34:01,931
Don't dump rubbish here
By the town water supply.
506
00:34:01,965 --> 00:34:05,275
And they say if you're
A free man, you'll be fined.
507
00:34:05,310 --> 00:34:09,000
If you're a slave,
You'll be flogged.
508
00:34:09,034 --> 00:34:10,413
Narrator: slaves are not allowed
509
00:34:10,448 --> 00:34:13,896
To leave town
Without permission.
510
00:34:13,931 --> 00:34:18,448
But when vesuvius erupts,
Are they forced to stay?
511
00:34:20,103 --> 00:34:22,206
Andrew investigates
The possessions
512
00:34:22,241 --> 00:34:26,344
Found with the 300 bodies
Discovered in the boathouses.
513
00:34:26,379 --> 00:34:29,551
Many of them had
Precious things with them
514
00:34:29,586 --> 00:34:31,344
Because that's what happens
In a disaster.
515
00:34:31,379 --> 00:34:34,862
You grab your valuables and run.
516
00:34:34,896 --> 00:34:37,379
Narrator:
Archaeologists find golden coins
517
00:34:37,413 --> 00:34:40,379
And jewelry on some of the dead.
518
00:34:40,413 --> 00:34:41,413
Evidence that they are
519
00:34:41,448 --> 00:34:44,965
Herculaneum's
Wealthier citizens.
520
00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:49,172
But some of them
Have no possessions at all.
521
00:34:49,206 --> 00:34:52,103
They are the town's
Poorest people.
522
00:34:52,137 --> 00:34:55,724
Hadrill: not everyone is
The same among these skeletons.
523
00:34:55,758 --> 00:34:57,862
There are some
Really rich people,
524
00:34:57,896 --> 00:35:00,137
There are some very poor people.
525
00:35:00,172 --> 00:35:03,379
They've got real valuables
Or they've got nothing.
526
00:35:06,413 --> 00:35:09,034
Narrator: andrew believes
If the victims have nothing,
527
00:35:09,068 --> 00:35:10,655
They are slaves.
528
00:35:12,793 --> 00:35:14,172
Hadrill:
In the moment of disaster,
529
00:35:14,206 --> 00:35:16,379
Everyone thinks
"How do we save ourselves?"
530
00:35:16,413 --> 00:35:19,482
They think there's a safe place
Down by the shore.
531
00:35:19,517 --> 00:35:21,586
And they all go down together.
532
00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:24,586
Rich and poor,
Free and slave, young and old,
533
00:35:24,620 --> 00:35:26,551
All go down together.
534
00:35:29,241 --> 00:35:31,344
Narrator:
Vesuvius' eruption preserves
535
00:35:31,379 --> 00:35:34,931
A remarkable and tragic story.
536
00:35:34,965 --> 00:35:37,275
As it reaches its climax,
537
00:35:37,310 --> 00:35:41,103
Slaves and masters
Cower together.
538
00:35:41,137 --> 00:35:42,827
They end up in the boathouses,
539
00:35:42,862 --> 00:35:46,241
Praying to the gods
For deliverance.
540
00:35:46,275 --> 00:35:51,482
But what happens to the rest
Of the town's 4,000 people?
541
00:35:51,517 --> 00:35:55,482
Do their bodies still lie
Entombed in the rock?
542
00:35:55,517 --> 00:35:59,379
Can their fate change the way
We see this terrible disaster?
543
00:35:59,413 --> 00:36:04,241
♪♪
544
00:36:05,724 --> 00:36:09,689
♪♪
545
00:36:09,724 --> 00:36:11,310
Narrator: in 79 a.D.,
546
00:36:11,344 --> 00:36:14,241
The most famous
Volcanic eruption in history
547
00:36:14,275 --> 00:36:16,206
Destroys pompeii,
548
00:36:16,241 --> 00:36:20,793
Along with herculaneum,
Its sister town.
549
00:36:20,827 --> 00:36:22,862
It carbonizes 300 people
550
00:36:22,896 --> 00:36:26,482
Hiding in boathouses
By the shore.
551
00:36:26,517 --> 00:36:31,137
But this town is home
To over 4,000 inhabitants.
552
00:36:31,172 --> 00:36:34,068
What happens to everyone else?
553
00:36:34,103 --> 00:36:36,758
Historian stephen tuck
554
00:36:36,793 --> 00:36:40,000
Is determined
To find the answer.
555
00:36:40,034 --> 00:36:42,689
Tuck: nobody knows the fate
Of the people from herculaneum.
556
00:36:42,724 --> 00:36:44,655
Of the city
That originally existed,
557
00:36:44,689 --> 00:36:47,655
Only 25% has been excavated.
558
00:36:47,689 --> 00:36:49,758
The remaining part could be full
559
00:36:49,793 --> 00:36:54,241
Of the remains
Of victims of the eruption.
560
00:36:54,275 --> 00:36:56,241
Narrator: despite this,
Stephen thinks
561
00:36:56,275 --> 00:37:02,172
That the bodies in herculaneum's
Boathouses are the unlucky few.
562
00:37:02,206 --> 00:37:05,034
He suspects the majority
Of the population flees
563
00:37:05,068 --> 00:37:09,827
Before the pyroclastic flow
Engulfs the town.
564
00:37:09,862 --> 00:37:11,413
Many people think their bodies
565
00:37:11,448 --> 00:37:15,103
Are outside the city walls
That have never been excavated.
566
00:37:15,137 --> 00:37:19,068
Roads or the seaside
Where they fled and perished.
567
00:37:19,103 --> 00:37:22,206
But I think we find
So few bodies at herculaneum
568
00:37:22,241 --> 00:37:25,448
Because people survived.
569
00:37:25,482 --> 00:37:27,241
Narrator: eight miles
From herculaneum,
570
00:37:27,275 --> 00:37:31,103
Naples is a big
And flourishing city,
571
00:37:31,137 --> 00:37:33,137
Where stephen thinks
He can find evidence
572
00:37:33,172 --> 00:37:36,310
To support his theory.
573
00:37:36,344 --> 00:37:38,586
Tuck: one of the ways we can
Find out if people survived
574
00:37:38,620 --> 00:37:40,206
Is to look for inscriptions
575
00:37:40,241 --> 00:37:44,172
Carved on homes, tombs,
Public buildings.
576
00:37:44,206 --> 00:37:45,758
Narrator:
The romans carved their names
577
00:37:45,793 --> 00:37:48,275
All over their buildings.
578
00:37:48,310 --> 00:37:51,241
These inscriptions are
Crucial clues.
579
00:37:51,275 --> 00:37:54,137
Tuck: in roman times,
Many names are unique
580
00:37:54,172 --> 00:37:56,724
To particular communities
Or local areas.
581
00:37:56,758 --> 00:37:59,241
So if we find a name
At herculaneum
582
00:37:59,275 --> 00:38:03,103
And we find the same name again
Later on in another community,
583
00:38:03,137 --> 00:38:05,793
That must mean
Somebody has moved
584
00:38:05,827 --> 00:38:08,758
And that we have a survivor.
585
00:38:08,793 --> 00:38:12,517
Narrator: stephen does some
Ancient detective work.
586
00:38:12,551 --> 00:38:15,379
He tries to match names
From the herculaneum tablets
587
00:38:15,413 --> 00:38:17,310
With inscriptions elsewhere.
588
00:38:19,344 --> 00:38:21,758
He soon finds a survivor.
589
00:38:21,793 --> 00:38:23,241
Tuck: one of the best examples
590
00:38:23,275 --> 00:38:26,689
Is this man here,
Caninius botrio,
591
00:38:26,724 --> 00:38:28,448
Who's on the census
For herculaneum
592
00:38:28,482 --> 00:38:30,310
In the last years of the city,
593
00:38:30,344 --> 00:38:34,931
And here he is again
In an inscription at naples.
594
00:38:34,965 --> 00:38:38,965
I think there's no doubt
That this is the same man.
595
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:40,551
Narrator:
But herculaneum is a town
596
00:38:40,586 --> 00:38:44,172
Inhabited by over 4,000 people.
597
00:38:44,206 --> 00:38:47,379
Are there any other survivors?
598
00:38:47,413 --> 00:38:49,103
Tuck: this is a record
Of a marble tablet
599
00:38:49,137 --> 00:38:52,551
That was found in naples
In 1535.
600
00:38:52,586 --> 00:38:55,068
And what it records
Is a district in the city
601
00:38:55,103 --> 00:38:56,413
That we didn't
Know about before
602
00:38:56,448 --> 00:39:01,206
Called the most splendid regent
On the herculaneans.
603
00:39:01,241 --> 00:39:03,586
So it must indicate
That there's a large number
604
00:39:03,620 --> 00:39:05,310
Of herculanean survivors
605
00:39:05,344 --> 00:39:07,931
Who relocate to naples
After the eruption.
606
00:39:10,724 --> 00:39:13,103
Narrator:
The horrific natural disaster
607
00:39:13,137 --> 00:39:16,655
Creates thousands of refugees.
608
00:39:16,689 --> 00:39:20,862
Stephen thinks many of them flee
To a small town called cumae
609
00:39:20,896 --> 00:39:24,862
20 miles to the west
Of herculaneum.
610
00:39:24,896 --> 00:39:27,275
Tuck: before the eruption
Of vesuvius in a.D. 79,
611
00:39:27,310 --> 00:39:30,448
Cumae is described as
Vacant and quiet.
612
00:39:30,482 --> 00:39:34,206
And it seems to have been
A dying or dead small town.
613
00:39:34,241 --> 00:39:37,655
But then suddenly,
Just after 81 a.D.,
614
00:39:37,689 --> 00:39:40,413
There's all this
New construction here.
615
00:39:40,448 --> 00:39:41,724
Narrator: the emperor titus
616
00:39:41,758 --> 00:39:46,034
Launches an ambitious
Building program here.
617
00:39:46,068 --> 00:39:49,068
Tuck: a new forum, roads,
Aqueducts,
618
00:39:49,103 --> 00:39:51,172
Amphitheater, temples,
And so on.
619
00:39:51,206 --> 00:39:53,275
There must be some reason
For him
620
00:39:53,310 --> 00:39:55,965
To have built
All of these buildings here.
621
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:57,827
I think the answer must be
622
00:39:57,862 --> 00:40:00,000
For a new population
That has moved in.
623
00:40:02,137 --> 00:40:04,379
Narrator: the true fate
Of herculaneum's people
624
00:40:04,413 --> 00:40:08,137
Lies in the towns
Across the bay of naples.
625
00:40:08,172 --> 00:40:10,482
Tuck:
When vesuvius erupts in a.D. 79
626
00:40:10,517 --> 00:40:13,758
And destroys pompeii
And herculaneum,
627
00:40:13,793 --> 00:40:15,724
We know this story.
628
00:40:15,758 --> 00:40:17,448
But there's another story
After that,
629
00:40:17,482 --> 00:40:20,689
And it's the story of the people
That got out, the survivors,
630
00:40:20,724 --> 00:40:23,482
Because we have evidence now
For the first time
631
00:40:23,517 --> 00:40:24,758
That strongly suggests
632
00:40:24,793 --> 00:40:27,862
That a great number of people
Made it out alive.
633
00:40:30,137 --> 00:40:33,172
Narrator: this perfectly
Preserved town is transforming
634
00:40:33,206 --> 00:40:35,862
How we see life
In the roman empire
635
00:40:35,896 --> 00:40:41,103
And the most famous
Volcanic eruption in history.
636
00:40:41,137 --> 00:40:43,931
The devastating fury
Of mount vesuvius
637
00:40:43,965 --> 00:40:48,000
Engulfs the town of herculaneum.
638
00:40:48,034 --> 00:40:50,896
But the volcano's
Hot pyroclastic flow
639
00:40:50,931 --> 00:40:54,172
Also freezes it in time.
640
00:40:54,206 --> 00:40:57,344
This remarkable eruption
Preserves roman life
641
00:40:57,379 --> 00:41:00,068
From 2,000 years ago.
642
00:41:00,103 --> 00:41:06,275
Charred papyrus scrolls reveal
How its citizens lived and died.
643
00:41:06,310 --> 00:41:08,655
The 300 victims
In the boathouses
644
00:41:08,689 --> 00:41:12,241
Reveal the horror
Of that terrible day.
645
00:41:12,275 --> 00:41:14,724
As panic grips the town,
646
00:41:14,758 --> 00:41:18,413
They make the wrong choice
To stay
647
00:41:18,448 --> 00:41:23,137
And suffer the brutal power
Of mount vesuvius.
648
00:41:23,172 --> 00:41:27,689
But many escape
To build new lives,
649
00:41:27,724 --> 00:41:30,275
A phoenix rising from the ashes
650
00:41:30,310 --> 00:41:34,103
Of the most famous eruption
Of all time.
651
00:41:34,137 --> 00:41:44,034
♪♪
652
00:41:44,068 --> 00:41:54,000
♪♪
653
00:41:54,034 --> 00:42:04,000
♪♪
52024
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