Original subtitles

NARRATOR: In Herculaneum, Italy,

archaeologists make a shocking discovery.

At the edge of the ancient town,

a skeleton emerges from the dirt.

FRANCESCO: We will study his DNA because we know that

his DNA tell us something.

NARRATOR: It's the first new body discovered here in over 25 years.

This skeleton could provide tantalizing clues to this town's final moments,

and the apocalyptic event that sealed its fate.

(theme music playing)

NARRATOR: In 79 AD the Roman world experienced one of

the greatest catastrophes in known history,

the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

It devastated the surrounding towns and villages,

burying them beneath layers of volcanic pumice and ash.

Pompeii, on the volcano's southern slope,

was destroyed and is famous for its crushed homes and

bodies frozen in time.

But nearby, on Vesuvius's western slope,

lies a lesser-known town, Herculaneum.

Buried four times deeper than Pompeii,

it has survived in extraordinary condition.

Today, a team of archaeologists,

geologists and forensic anthropologists search

for clues to uncover what happened to Herculaneum and

its thousands of residents.

To piece together the final deadly 24 hours of the eruption.

There is something just so special about this site,

it's a, it's a little jewel.

NARRATOR: Archaeologist, Andrew Wallace-Hadrill,

first visited this ancient town as a teenager.

He was so fascinated by it that he has spent most of his career

working to preserve the site and its treasures.

ANDREW: We've only excavated something like

a quarter of the site of Herculaneum.

There is still stuff to excavate.

NARRATOR: Archaeologists have discovered some of

the best preserved buildings in the Roman world here.

Andrew searches the site, looking for evidence of the ways

in which Herculaneum's fate differed from Pompeii's.

Isn't this place absolutely stunning?

Up above us, you can see that there's a second floor.

This is something you get in Herculaneum.

Pompeii is kind of decapitated by the eruption.

You've just got the ground floor,

and now we can see, ah,

there's a whole life going on up above us,

rooms above here and above there.

NARRATOR: Dozens of the houses in Herculaneum have beautifully

preserved walls and upper floors.

And there's more.

ANDREW: Over here, we've got what has to be a bedroom.

You know it's a bedroom because, for once,

you've got a bed in it.

In Pompeii, you don't find beds; they disappeared,

they were made of wood.

In Herculaneum the wood is preserved.

NARRATOR: Artifacts like this are exceptionally rare,

making this town an ancient treasure trove.

Over here, we have this glorious wooden screen,

which enabled you then to close off this room.

Obviously, this is cased in glass and metal,

but in there is the original wood of the screen, uh,

stunningly preserved.

NARRATOR: The wooden bed and screen are blackened by

the eruptions but, remarkably,

they are still intact.

They probably had wooden screens in Pompeii too,

but pfft, gone.

Here were many wooden details that get preserved, beams, shutters,

all sorts of stuff.

NARRATOR: At Pompeii, just over eight miles away

the eruption incinerated wooden objects.

This stark difference suggests that the volcanic eruption hit

Herculaneum in a very different way.

To uncover how these wooden objects have survived,

the team needs to continue their investigation of the town

to find out what happened on the day Vesuvius erupted.

14 miles west of Herculaneum,

across the Bay of Naples,

Jasmine Elmer explores the location of

the former Roman town of Misenum.

Jasmine wants to investigate two ancient letters written by

someone who claims to have witnessed the volcanic eruption

of 79 AD from here.

JASMINE: It's such an amazing treat

to have letters like this that survive.

We have so few eyewitness accounts from the ancient world,

let alone of something so catastrophic.

NARRATOR: These letters are just two of hundreds written

by a Roman known as Pliny the Younger.

JASMINE: In Pliny's letters,

we have an account of what he calls a cladde,

a catastrophe, a disaster, that happens and seeing what

he calls an unusual cloud of size and appearance.

NARRATOR: The letters recount that 17-year-old Pliny

was in Misenum with his mother and his uncle,

a Naval Commander, also called Pliny,

when they noticed a dark cloud to the east.

Pliny the Elder, a natural philosopher at heart,

climbed to higher ground to get a better view of the peculiar phenomenon,

and saw the cloud was arising from a mountain.

He ordered a light vessel from his fleet to be readied for him

to sail across the bay to take a closer look.

But, before he set sail,

Pliny the Elder received a message from his friend, Rectina,

in distress near Mount Vesuvius,

pleading for his help.

He turned his crossing into a rescue mission.

Pliny the Younger's letters,

written in Latin,

were penned decades after the catastrophic eruption.

Leading experts to question the accuracy of his account.

These letters were written to the Roman historian Tacitus,

about 25 years after the event.

Now, some people might say that that makes them slightly unreliable,

how accurate is, uh,

Pliny's memory of the events that occurred?

NARRATOR: Jasmine wants to investigate the letters to

explore how reliable Pliny's account of the eruption is.

If his story stands up to modern scrutiny,

it could help explain what happened to towns like

Herculaneum during the eruption.

Jasmine plans to follow in the footsteps of Pliny the Elder,

to see if it would have been possible to launch

a Naval rescue mission from these waters.

JASMINE: Here in the Latin, we see that Pliny the Elder goes,

"In periculum," into the danger zone.

Where others are fleeing, he is going.

Now, is this true of what happened,

or is Pliny the Younger trying to embellish the bravery of his uncle?

NARRATOR: Today, the ruins of Herculaneum lie just inland,

but due to land movement and

sea level changes over two millennia,

in 79 AD Herculaneum was right on the coast.

Several bodies have been discovered along the town's ancient beach.

At his lab at Chieti University,

Luigi Capasso investigates the remains of a skeleton

previously excavated here.

LUIGI: Is this a piece of tuberosity here do you think?

NARRATOR: For more than two decades,

Luigi has been working alongside archaeologists

to study the bones of people found here in Herculaneum.

He wants to unravel the stories of those who died in the eruption.

Their remains could help reveal

what happened in this town's final hours.

LUIGI: Okay, this is the last, finished.

We have, uh, a near complete skeleton of a man,

probably 40, 45 age.

This skeleton show many traces of trauma

that occurred before death.

For example, the left femur shows a previous injury

that caused new bone formation.

We have a, the traces on the face.

This trauma is due to a violent impact with a, a very hard object.

NARRATOR: This evidence suggests the man lead a violent life.

Further clues uncovered alongside him shed more light on his story.

When his skeleton was excavated, archaeologists discovered a bag

containing a blade characteristic of

an ancient Roman woodworking tool.

By his side, the remains of a sword with an ivory handle.

He carried 14 coins of silver and gold;

a sign he was a wealthy man.

Next to his body, archaeologists discovered

the charred remains of an upturned boat.

Who was this man,

and what was he doing on the ancient beach that day?

Examining the skeleton, an intriguing piece of evidence

catches Luigi's eye.

So, can be very interesting to see the detail

of this part under the microscope.

This very strange combination, a total co-penetration between

the metal to the bone.

NARRATOR: The microscope analysis reveals a piece of metal

has fused to the man's hip bone.

To try to understand how this happened,

Luigi examines an image of the objects found alongside the skeleton.

These two swords was found in connection

with the body and probably

one of the piece of metal

that is lost in this object,

fused with the bone.

NARRATOR: Luigi believes the heat produced during

the volcanic eruption fused part of the sword to the man's hip.

This evidence offers Luigi a clue to the man's identity.

The archaeological evidence,

such as the swords,

fit with the evidence of previous injuries

so we can conclude that, that this man was a soldier.

NARRATOR: The elaborate design of the sword,

and an ornate belt, suggest he wasn't a regular soldier.

He was likely a high-ranking Praetorian Guard.

The Praetorian Guard was an elite military unit

that protected the Emperor.

Only the bravest Roman soldiers

who had proved their worth in battle,

were chosen to join the unit.

They weren't just skilled fighters.

The Praetorian Guard included specialist soldiers,

such as naval engineers, known as the Faber Navalis.

They served for shorter terms than ordinary soldiers,

but were paid up to three and a half times their salaries.

There is no evidence of a military base at Herculaneum.

The closest was in Misenum across the bay.

This elite naval engineer

may have been part of a rescue mission.

He could be evidence to support Pliny's account.

Analysis of the boat discovered

next to him could yield more clues.

NARRATOR: East of Herculaneum,

Volcanologist Giuseppe Mastrolorenzo

ascends the slope of the infamous volcano,

Mount Vesuvius.

He's looking for evidence that could help shed light on

the sequence of volcanic events

that took place during the 79 AD eruption.

GIUSEPPE: Okay now, I can see the hot spot.

NARRATOR: Mount Vesuvius lies just five miles from Herculaneum

and is still an active volcano.

Normally, visitors to this iconic spot can't go further

than the outer rim.

But Giuseppe has studied Vesuvius for over 30 years and

has been granted permission to descend into the crater.

This is a monitoring station used for

monitoring the CO2 which is emitted from the ground.

NARRATOR: Monitoring stations are dotted around the crater.

They detect any sign the volcano is heating up.

GIUSEPPE: Beneath here, there is a very wide magma chamber,

and we must detect any change which can be a possible indicator.

NARRATOR: Giuseppe uses a digital thermometer to check

today's surface temperature.

Uh, okay, it is relatively low.

Well, the temperature in this, uh,

in this area is less than, than 30 degrees Celsius,

which is normal in this period.

There have been no changes.

You are safe here, today.

NARRATOR: Safe to proceed with his investigation of the volcano,

Giuseppe continues along the crater's edge.

GIUSEPPE: In 79 AD, this area was completely different,

so there was not this crater,

which has been formed in the last centuries.

But the eruption started from some place around here.

NARRATOR: During the eruption,

some 12 million tons of volcanic ash and rock

was propelled into the atmosphere every minute.

GIUSEPPE: During this phase,

the first eruptive column was formed.

This column is an increasing, uh,

column of gas and, and particles

which can reach the elevation of about 35 kilometers,

three times the maximum elevation of a, of an aircraft.

NARRATOR: This giant column of ash aligns with Piny the Younger's account

of seeing an unusual cloud arising from the mountain.

On the ground, Giuseppe spots a clue to what happened next

at the nearby towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

These rocks, uh, are about the size of the pumice

fell in Pompeii.

The particles were blown by the wind to the east,

toward Pompeii, and so an fallout of particles occurred

and lasted for hours, for hours and hours.

NARRATOR: Expert analysis of pumice and ash deposits

has revealed a north-westerly wind blew the cloud of volcanic debris

away from Herculaneum and over Pompeii.

The burning hot rocks and thick ash rained down on Pompeii,

causing roofs to collapse,

crushing and killing those sheltering in their homes.

Herculaneum, located to the west of the volcano,

and its population of more than 4,000 people,

were initially spared from this rocky fallout.

GIUSEPPE: People in Herculaneum observed this giant column.

I think they were terrified.

NARRATOR: The north-westerly wind saved Herculaneum from

the bombardment that hit Pompeii, allowing time for escape,

and for Pliny the Elder to launch a rescue mission.

To uncover what happened next to Herculaneum and its remaining residents,

Giuseppe needs to investigate the layers of volcanic debris inside the town.

Off the coast of the ancient town of Misenum,

Jasmine continues her hunt.

She is searching for evidence to corroborate

Pliny the Younger's account of his uncle's rescue mission.

Pliny the Elder orders some quadriremes,

some Romany military ships, to cross the Bay of Naples

with him at the helm.

NARRATOR: Pliny the Elder's fleet sets off from Misenum and

heads towards the base of Vesuvius.

If Pliny had ships at his disposal to launch a rescue mission,

there must have been a harbor somewhere nearby.

Jasmine searches the bay for any evidence of one.

Rounding the coast, she spots something intriguing.

You can just see over there

one pilae that reaches out above the sea.

It's quite amazing that we can see that.

Pilae have a few functions,

one is to mark the edge of the harbor,

but also to provide protection from the waves coming

in from the Bay of Naples.

NARRATOR: The upper part of this structure is modern,

but it sits on a characteristically Roman base.

Using satellite imagery, remnants of other pilae are

visible beneath the surface.

They are unmistakable proof of two Roman breakwaters here

marking the entrance to a vast military port that

housed a unit of Praetorian Guards.

You can see how large it is,

and it gives us a great understanding of how important

this harbor truly was.

It's all the more evidence that Pliny had some 6,000 men at his disposal.

NARRATOR: The evidence of the harbor suggests

Pliny the Younger's general account of events

during the early stages of the eruption is so far accurate.

Pliny the Elder could have launched his rescue ships from here.

To continue to explore the truth behind the letters,

Jasmine next intends to retrace the fleet's route

across the bay, towards Herculaneum.

JASMINE: You can imagine the chaos that Pliny the Elder was facing,

rushing around and launching his rescue mission,

to rescue those people at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

NARRATOR: At Herculaneum, Andrew wants to examine

the fragile remains of the wooden boat discovered next to

the Praetorian Guard on the ancient beach.

It could help determine if he was one of Pliny's men.

ANDREW: So here, we've got this extraordinary thing.

At Herculaneum, wood survives,

wood is preserved, and that meant that this

is the only example of a boat found in Pompeii and Herculaneum.

NARRATOR: The high-tech support cradle gives Andrew

the chance to study the boat up close.

ANDREW: If you look carefully,

you see that there is, there's no room for a mast.

So that means it's got to be rowed.

This is a big boat!

NARRATOR: Some think this rowing boat is a simple fishing vessel.

But it's big enough to hold at least eight people and

Andrew believes its size is a clue.

ANDREW: If Admiral Pliny has said,

"Right, we're going to rescue the people of Herculaneum,"

it makes sense to send out a boat of this size.

So, I would like to think that this is part of the rescue mission.

NARRATOR: The discovery of the Praetorian Guard's skeleton,

next to the large boat, is strong evidence that Pliny did

launch a rescue mission, as his nephew later claimed.

This Praetorian made it onto the beach,

but didn't make it out alive.

He died a horrific death,

in heat so powerful it melded his sword to his bones.

To uncover exactly what happened here,

the team must continue the search for more evidence.

Pier Paolo Petrone has spent most of his career studying

the bones found at Herculaneum.

PIER PAOLO: This adventure of studying, analyzing and digging up

the relics of the victims, for me, started in 1995.

NARRATOR: He's keen to uncover as much as he can about

the fate of the people here.

PIER PAOLO: Herculaneum certainly still holds much to discover.

NARRATOR: At the edge of the archaeological site,

on what was once the town's beach,

engineers building a wall make a shocking discovery.

Pier Paolo was immediately called to the scene,

as they have just uncovered a skeleton buried in layers of volcanic debris,

close to where the Praetorian Guard was found.

PIER PAOLO: This discovery was an absolute novelty

because works have been going on for many years on this beach.

NARRATOR: This is the first new body found at Herculaneum

for more than two decades.

Pier Paolo uses a low-pressure water jet

to carefully wash away surrounding debris and

expose the bones for an initial examination.

The discovery is so significant the Park's director

oversees the excavation.

From the first study, anthropological study, um,

we know that it was a man aged between 40, 45,

and we will study his DNA because we know the DNA of,

from all these victims, uh,

tell us something.

NARRATOR: Pier Paolo's team carefully removes more debris

and uncovers wooden beams lying across the body.

PIER PAOLO: Next to and on top of the victim's body,

very large planks were found.

One plank in particular covered the body.

They must have been from the houses around here.

NARRATOR: The wooden beams are evidence that something sudden

and catastrophic happened here, with a force strong enough to

propel roofs across the town, and onto the beach.

Analysis of the beam's position on top of the body could reveal

if these were the cause of death.

PIER PAOLO: It's very likely that many more are under this wall.

But for now, we'll focus on this one,

as it's bound to give us a lot of information.

NARRATOR: The team use a hand-held 3D scanner to

digitally record the position of the skeleton in-situ,

before they remove the remains for further study.

PIER PAOLO: We'll have to rebuild it through a full 3D scan of the body

and what surrounded it and then fully document the finding.

NARRATOR: This new discovery could provide

more tantalizing clues to Herculaneum's final moments.

The victim's location on the ancient beach adds to

the team's understanding of what happened here.

And this man was not alone on the shoreline.

Years earlier, when archaeologists were exploring

buried stone arches outside the town,

they discovery over 300 skeletons.

In front of one arch, they found a middle-aged woman

with her jewelry.

Precious rings still hanging off fingers.

Leaning against a wall, a young woman.

Next to her, they found tiny bones.

She was seven months pregnant.

2,000 years ago, these arches were entrance to boathouses.

Analysis of how these victims died could reveal

what happened in Herculaneum's deadly final moments.

Fewer than 50 bodies have been discovered

inside the town itself.

Most of the population must have fled when neighboring Pompeii

was being battered by falling volcanic rocks.

PIER PAOLO: So our question was, how come all these people were here?

NARRATOR: The size and solidity of the boathouses

offers Pier Paolo a clue to why these people didn't flee.

PIER PAOLO: 17 years before the eruption of 79 AD there was a major earthquake

which caused much damage here in Herculaneum.

So, the Herculanians were familiar with earthquakes.

People take refuge here on the ancient shore in these rooms

because they know in this place, they might be safe from earthquakes.

NARRATOR: Earthquakes often occur before volcanic eruptions.

In 79 AD, those who chose not to flee the town likely came to

these sturdy boathouses for shelter.

Not knowing they wouldn't be safe this time.

Examining the positions of the skeletons,

Pier Paolo notices something strange.

PIER PAOLO: The most important evidence, which struck me right away,

was the peoples' posture.

It was different in Pompeii, where the bodies showed sort of a defense position.

Here in Herculaneum, the positions of the bodies were perfectly preserved

but absolutely devoid of any sign of a conscious reaction.

NARRATOR: People at Herculaneum were not found contorted and twisted,

like those at Pompeii.

The evidence suggests they suffered a very different death.

Analyzing these skeletons could uncover vital clues to

Herculaneum's final hours,

and how the aftermath of the deadly eruption unfolded.

NARRATOR: On a boat in the Bay of Naples,

Jasmine is tracing Pliny the Elder's reported route from the ancient harbor,

towards Vesuvius.

JASMINE: We're now going to cross the Bay of Naples,

as Pliny the Elder did with his fleet to rescue those people at

the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

NARRATOR: According to the ancient accounts,

the rescue ships headed towards Herculaneum,

straight into the danger zone,

with Pliny the Elder aboard observing the eruption.

But as they approached the base of Vesuvius,

giant boulders propelled out of the volcano covered the shoreline,

blocking large vessels from landing.

So, Pliny diverted his ships further south to Stabiae,

where he was greeted by a close friend, Pomponianus,

and planned his return to the base of the volcano

the next morning.

Jasmine reaches the modern shore of Castellammare Di Stabia,

the location of ancient Stabiae.

JASMINE: After an unsuccessful attempt to land at Herculaneum,

Pliny the Elder lands here at Stabiae,

where the conditions are much more favorable.

He immediately consoles his friend, Pomponianus,

who seems terrified by the events that are happening.

However, at this time, it's still possible that those

stranded around the foothills of Vesuvius

had a chance of survival.

NARRATOR: Pliny's account holds up so far.

So there was still hope for those at Herculaneum.

Praetorian Guards on smaller boats could get through

the volcanic debris and make it ashore.

But with the volcanic stones raining down,

the danger was growing.

In his lab in Naples, Pier Paolo continues his investigation of

how the people in Herculaneum's boathouses were killed.

PIER PAOLO: This is the skull of an adult male that was discovered inside chamber 10

where there were a lot of people, 30 or 40 victims.

NARRATOR: Examining the shattered skull,

he notices some unusual markings.

PIER PAOLO: The internal and external carbonization of the skull is interesting.

You can clearly see here, as well as blackened margins,

clean breaks in the bone.

NARRATOR: The clean fractures and charred edges reveal this

skull wasn't broken by an external force,

like falling rocks or a collapsing roof.

The evidence leads Pier Paolo to a much more extraordinary conclusion.

PIER PAOLO: It is clear that this skill exploded.

The brain boiled, there was an increase in the intercranial pressure.

A hemorrhage which instantly caused death.

NARRATOR: The cause of death is swift and gruesome and is

not the only shocking evidence he finds.

Analysis of a jaw also reveals

a strange discoloration on the bones.

PIER PAOLO: Another interesting detail is these red encrustations on this jaw.

These mineral residues show the presence of a great quantity of iron oxide.

So this proves that there was an evaporation of body tissues and fluids,

and of the blood.

NARRATOR: There's only one thing that could cause skulls to

explode and blood to vaporize.

These are effects of a very high temperature, probably around 500 degrees.

NARRATOR: Temperatures of nearly 500 degrees Celsius,

1,000 degrees Fahrenheit,

could finally explain Herculaneum's victims' poses

and the melded skeleton of the Praetorian Guard.

PIER PAOLO: At Pompeii, the body tissues remain intact

and we see these postures as if the people were defending themselves

but actually this is a post mortem posture

due to the shrinking and dehydration of the muscle structure.

This does not happen at Herculaneum

because the body tissues evaporate rapidly, so this movement cannot occur.

NARRATOR: Pier Paolo's investigation reveals that

the people in the boathouses, and the soldier,

weren't crushed by falling objects,

then covered with ash in which their bodies slowly contorted

after death, like many at Pompeii.

Death here was swift, caused by an extreme heat that

vaporized flesh and boiled brains, in an instant.

What caused the extreme temperature that devastated Herculaneum but not Pompeii?

Looking for an answer, Pier Paolo examines another

shocking discovery.

PIER PAOLO: This was the most important discovery of my career.

NARRATOR: At Herculaneum,

Andrew is investigating an incredibly preserved structure

in the center of town.

This is an amazing building.

NARRATOR: Archaeologists made an incredible discovery here.

So, in here we've got a little side room and...

(laughs)

This, this was one of the big, big surprises of,

of this excavation because,

on the whole there, we don't find skeletons here.

But here was one astonishing skeleton.

NARRATOR: Very few bodies have been found in Herculaneum,

other than those at the boathouse.

The man discovered here had his flesh vaporized,

just like them.

Today, his remains are preserved beneath plastic

for protection from the elements.

One thing you can notice is that this is a proper bed place.

You, you see, there's wood going around all the sides,

so this is an official bedroom.

But why is he still here?

There's an enormous eruption going on,

why hasn't he fled like everyone else?

NARRATOR: Andrew explores the rest of the building,

clues to this man's identify could explain his gruesome death.

It's always great when you've got an inscription

it gives you a clue and it starts with words,

sacred to Augustus.

And then, there's this wonderful detail that,

at the opening of the building, Canem Dedarum,

they gave a dinner and who is the dinner for?

This is the crucial clue.

Decurionbus et Augustabilibus,

for the Decurions and the Augustales.

So, these are the two most important groups of people in town,

and this must be the College of the Augustales.

NARRATOR: The College of the Augustales

was a place for a cult-like worship of dead emperors,

an important practice in Roman culture at this time.

This association could explain the identity of the victim

discovered in the bed.

ANDREW: Here, we've got this major public building

and it's at the heart of the town.

So, it matters looking after the building properly,

and that's why you've got a guardian permanently there with

his own bed place.

NARRATOR: As a custodian, this man may have been forbidden from

leaving the building while on duty,

even in emergencies.

So maybe they told him,

"You stay here. Vesuvius may erupt, you stay."

"Yes, boss."

NARRATOR: As archaeologists worked to excavate

the custodian's remains,

they discovered strange black fragments surrounding his skull.

Pier Paolo was part of the team.

Intrigued, he took them back to his laboratory to find out more.

PIER PAOLO: I was there cleaning the skull that was completely covered in ash.

Suddenly I saw a shimmering glassy fragment and I wondered what it was.

NARRATOR: Pier Paolo needs a special microscope to examine

the strange fragments.

Hi Alessia.

Hi Pier Paolo.

NARRATOR: Using this high powered stereo-microscope,

Pier Paolo can view the surface of the fragments

in incredible detail.

PIER PAOLO: Here we can see the structure of this glassy matter in detail.

The biochemical analysis of this matter has shown that

certain proteins have been preserved perfectly inside it

which are typically found in brain tissue

and this gives us the confirmation that this is a vitrified brain.

So we know that this matter is the brain of the custodian.

NARRATOR: The biochemical and microscopic analysis reveals

this main's brain was turned into glass.

It’s evidence a strange phenomenon hit the town.

PIER PAOLO: This is a very important discovery

because it means that in Herculaneum, at the beginning of the eruption

there was an extremely rapid temperature drop

because only an extremely rapid temperature drop can cause vitrification.

NARRATOR: The custodian of the College of the Augustales was

killed by extreme heat which vaporized his flesh

and melted his brain.

Rapid cooling then turned his molten brain to glass.

Analysis of the volcanic debris at Herculaneum could finally

explain what caused this extreme and deadly heat.

NARRATOR: Ten miles south of Herculaneum,

in Castellammare Di Stabia,

Jasmine's continuing her investigation of

Pliny the Younger's account.

According to his letters, this coastline is where

Pliny the Elder took shelter for the night.

JASMINE: It's during his sleep that things

really take a turn for worse at Vesuvius.

Pliny tells us that there is cinere, ashes.

Mixtisque pumicibus, which means mixed with pumice.

Vastisquer tremore, it means very, very big tremors

are happening at this stage.

So now, we're entering a violent stage of the eruption.

NARRATOR: Fearing for their lives, Pliny the Elder,

and his friends,

fled Stabiae with pillows strapped to their heads,

to protect them from the falling stones and cinders.

They headed down to the shore to see if they could escape by boat,

but found the sea too violent to set sail.

According to Pliny the Younger, his uncle,

out of options, lay down on a sail and

suffocated to death from toxic volcanic fumes.

The drama of the letters here is really clear.

We simply are told corpus inventum,

that his corpus was found the next day on the beach.

NARRATOR: Modern science has proven volcanoes release gases

such as Sulphur Dioxide and Carbon Dioxide,

which can be harmful to humans.

Inhalation of these noxious gases could have played a role

in Pliny the Elder’s death at Stabiae.

Jasmine's investigation reveals that Pliny the Younger's account

of events, following the eruption,

appear accurate.

JASMINE: As a piece of literary evidence,

these letters are amazing.

His accounts are really very accurate,

if we connect them to the archaeology.

But we also learn about what happened to these individuals in

intense and graphic detail.

NARRATOR: At Herculaneum,

Giuseppe heads to the edge of the ancient site,

to a tunnel excavated into the solidified volcanic debris, known as tuff.

So now we are inside this tuff.

NARRATOR: He’s hunting for the conclusive evidence

of what deadly phenomenon struck this town.

Locked within the tuff,

Giuseppe spots the clue to what happened here.

As you can see here, we have a wood, carbonized wood,

and this indicates that there was no air, no oxygen.

NARRATOR: The natural phenomenon that struck Herculaneum consumed

all the oxygen in the air.

Without oxygen, wooden objects couldn't burn.

Instead, they were turned into carbon.

This explains the remarkable preservation of the wooden screen and bed.

Giuseppe heads outside to continue his investigation.

Well, you can see these tiles and bricks transported, engulfed,

and moved as a cloud...

GIUSEPPE: but with very high temperature.

It is the killer pyroclastic surge.

NARRATOR: Giuseppe’s investigation shows that

the deadly phenomenon that destroyed Herculaneum was

a giant cloud of searing hot gas and ash that

came crashing down the volcano’s slopes.

(rumbling)

It’s known as a pyroclastic surge.

Around noon, Mount Vesuvius erupted,

hurling ash, pumice, and toxic gases more than 20 miles into the atmosphere.

The following day, the cloud of gas and ash collapsed and

barreled down the sides of the volcano.

The 1,000 degree Fahrenheit wave

hit Herculaneum in less than five minutes,

and blasted the flesh off people's bones.

Those left at the town were killed in an instant.

After several waves of pyroclastic surges,

Herculaneum was buried under 82 feet of debris.

It's unbelievably gruesome the moment of destruction.

But what is catastrophe for them is wonderful for us because

it's that destruction that preserves for us very,

very vivid traces of what life was like just then.

NARRATOR: Herculaneum's final moments are slowly

being uncovered.

The evidence discovered by archaeologists reveals that

hundreds of citizens fled to the beach,

where brave soldiers attempted a rescue mission.

Blood-stained bones and fused metal weapons reveal an intense heat that

killed these unsuspecting victims.

And, miraculously, preserved wooden objects are proof of

the rare pyroclastic flow that buried this town for two millennia.

As experts continue to investigate this preserved ancient wonder,

their discoveries will shed new light onto

one of history's deadliest eruptions.

Captioned by Cotter Media Group.