Mount Vesuvius Eruption: Over 200 People Survived from Ancient Natural Disaster That Destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum

Mount Vesuvius in Italy erupted in 79 AD and released an unprecedented amount of volcanic ash and debris, wiping out the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Depicted as an apocalyptic event in popular culture and literature, the Mount Vesuvius eruption is a story of the struggle and deaths of the area's inhabitants forever frozen in time. This is the prevailing narrative surrounding the ancient natural disaster.

However, new archaeological research confirms previous evidence that there were hundreds of survivors of the historic Italy volcano eruption. The findings also suggest the people who made it out of the natural catastrophe migrated and rebuilt their lives elsewhere. The recent discovery was made possible by analyzing human remains found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as other clues within the ruins.

While archaeological and historical evidence imply that Mount Vesuvius erupted without warning, scientists in modern times have pointed the next potential eruption of the active volcano.

In 2022, volcano experts conducted a study. They predicted that the next explosive eruption of Vesuvius could happen in a few hundred years from now, potentially impacting millions of people in Italy and its surrounding regions.

Mount Vesuvius Volcano Survivors

In a recent report, Steven Tuck, highlighted a shift in the narrative concerning the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. Citing a documentary released in May 2024, Tuck sheds light on a series of archaeological excavations in the area surrounding Vesuvius; wherein new evidence suggests there were more than 200 survivors from the perceived apocalyptic eruption.

Unlike the volcanic eruption's portrayal in modern films, the recent evidence showed that some survivors migrated yet settled as close as they can from Pompeii. Furthermore, the new narrative also showed the social and economic struggles of the survivors in their new life in the aftermath of the Vesuvius eruption.

Is Vesuvius Going to Erupt Again?

Mount Vesuvius is going to erupt again based on estimates by volcano experts, as mentioned earlier. In the study published in the journal Science Advances in January 2022, researchers concluded that Vesuvius may not erupt until a few hundred years from now. They arrived at their estimation by examining the latest four eruptions of the Somma-stratovolcano over the last 10,000 years.

Despite growing evidence that there were over 200 survivors from the Mount Vesuvius eruption, scientists in the 2022 study stated the "worst case scenario" could still happen, similar to what transpired in Pompeii and Herculaneum. Yet, there is a difference when it comes to knowledge and preparedness between the historic eruption and the next potential awakening of Vesuvius.

For instance, historical evidence in the years leading to 79 AD showed that the inhabitants in Italy were unaware of the real danger posed by the Mount Vesuvius. In addition, there was no designated name for the stratovolcano during the 1st century.

This knowledge gap also contributed to the annihilation of Pompeii and Herculaneum, which had a population of 30,000 and 5,000 at that time.