First came the earthquakes. For years, shaking from deep underground rattled Pompeii. This bustling city in what is now Italy was part of the Roman Empire, a powerful group of territories that existed from 27 B.C. to 476 A.D. (see Where Was the Blast?). People were used to their walls vibrating and their horse-drawn carts swaying to and fro down the street.

The source of the shaking loomed just outside the city: a volcano called Mount Vesuvius (vuh-SOO-vee-us). The earthquakes meant that magma was moving beneath it. But the ancient Romans didn’t know that. Day after day, the quakes continued until . . .

BOOM!

First came the earthquakes. They rumbled deep underground. They rattled Pompeii for years. It was a busy city. It’s located in what is now Italy. It was part of the Roman Empire. The empire existed from 27 B.C. to 476 A.D. That’s 2,050 to 1,550 years ago (see Where Was the Blast?). People were used to their walls shaking. Their horse-drawn carts would sway as they moved.

The source of the quakes was just outside the city. It was a volcano. Its name was Mount Vesuvius (vuh-SOO-vee-us). The earthquakes meant magma was moving beneath it. But the ancient Romans didn’t know that. The quakes continued day after day. Until . . .

BOOM!

An explosion sent a giant ash cloud miles into the sky. Scientists think the eruption began around noon on August 24, 79 A.D. By the next day, more than 30 feet (9 meters) of rock and ash blanketed Pompeii. The material hardened in and around the city. “The whole town just paused in time,” says Victoria Moses. She’s an archaeologist (see Vocab Lab) who has studied remains at the site.

Pompeii was buried for 17 centuries, until construction workers discovered the city in 1748. Since then, excavators have been digging up and studying the ruins. Recently, new evidence has changed scientists’ understanding of who Pompeii residents were and how some of them died in the famous eruption.

A blast sent a giant ash cloud miles into the sky. Scientists think they know when the eruption began. It was around noon on August 24, 79 A.D.  More than 30 feet (9 meters) of rock and ash buried Pompeii. The material hardened. “The whole town just paused in time,” says Victoria Moses. She’s an archaeologist (see Vocab Lab). She has studied remains at the site.

Pompeii was buried for 1,700 years. Then construction workers found the city in 1748. People have been studying the ruins ever since. Recently, new evidence has changed scientists’ view of Pompeii. They’ve learned more about the city’s people. And they’ve learned how some may have died in the famous eruption.

Over time, some scientists began to doubt the conclusions. There wasn’t a lot of evidence to support them. And scans of the casts showed that the remains inside were not always what scientists expected.

Moses and a team of scientists decided to learn more about the victims. To do that, they studied the skeletons’ DNA. This microscopic material is found inside cells. Studying it can reveal information such as if a person is male or female and if people are related.

There wasn’t a lot to support scientists’ earlier conclusions. And scans of the casts brought to light new information. They showed the remains inside the casts. And they weren’t always what scientists expected.

Moses and a team of scientists decided to learn more about the victims. So they studied the skeletons’ DNA. This microscopic material is found inside cells. It can reveal whether a person is male or female. It can also show if people are related.

New research has also caused scientists to rethink how some of the people in Pompeii died. Scientists knew most people were killed by pyroclastic flows. These thick clouds of ash, rock, and gas slid down Vesuvius as fast as a hurricane’s winds. Their oven-like heat killed in an instant. Other deaths were caused by falling rocks and toxic gas.

But in 2024, scientists found yet another killer at Pompeii: earthquakes. Volcano scientist Domenico Sparice and a team of researchers made the discovery while studying two skeletons beneath a crumbled wall in the city. The skeletons had skull fractures similar to the injuries people get during earthquakes today.

Sparice’s team studied the position of the wall compared to the layers of rock and ash. They found that the wall fell when part of the volcano collapsed, causing giant earthquakes (see How the Eruption Unfolded).

Scientists knew there were earthquakes when Vesuvius erupted. Ancient historians wrote about how earthquakes shook the city. But this was the first evidence showing that large earthquakes caused buildings to crumble and people to die. Sparice suspects there are other earthquake victims still hidden in the ash.

New studies have caused scientists to rethink other things. They include how some of the people in Pompeii died. Scientists knew most people were killed by pyroclastic flows. Those are thick clouds of ash, rock, and gas. They slid down Vesuvius. They moved as fast as a hurricane’s winds. Their oven-like heat killed in an instant. Other deaths were caused by falling rocks and toxic gas.

But scientists found yet another killer in 2024. It was earthquakes. Domenico Sparice and a team of volcano scientists made the discovery. They were studying two skeletons. They lay beneath a crumbled wall in the city. The skeletons had broken skulls. The injuries were like those people get during earthquakes today.

Sparice’s team studied the position of the wall. They compared it to the layers of rock and ash. Part of the volcano had collapsed. That caused giant earthquakes (see How the Eruption Unfolded). Their shaking caused the wall to fall.

Scientists knew there were earthquakes when Vesuvius erupted. Ancient historians wrote about how they shook the city. But this was the first time they were linked to people dying. Sparice suspects there are other earthquake victims. They’re still hidden in the ash. 

Scientists use observations and evidence to support their ideas. But they don’t always have all the evidence when they draw conclusions. That’s why rethinking old ideas is important, says Moses. “If there’s a new way of looking at things, it’s OK to rewrite what we think we know,” she says.

Excavators have been digging up remains at Pompeii for 277 years. They’re still making discoveries. For Moses and Sparice, revealing the truth about Pompeii’s people honors their experiences on that terrifying day.

“We must not forget that more than 1,000 people died because they were caught in a sudden natural event,” says Sparice. “We must try to see the eruption through their eyes and understand what they felt.”

Scientists use observations to draw conclusions. But they don’t always have all the evidence. That’s why rethinking old ideas is important, says Moses. “If there’s a new way of looking at things, it’s OK to rewrite what we think we know,” she says.

People have been digging up remains at Pompeii for 277 years. They’re still finding new things. Moses and Sparice are helping find the truth about Pompeii. That honors what happened to its people that terrifying day.

“We must not forget that more than 1,000 people died because they were caught in a sudden natural event,” says Sparice. “We must try to see the eruption through their eyes and understand what they felt.”