Victims of Mount Vesuvius
Once a thriving city in ancient Italy, Pompei literally disappeared with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. After a devastating earthquake in AD 63 decimated the city, Vesuvius emitted poisonous gases into the atmosphere and covered Pompeii with ash and mud. The ash mixed with rain and settled around the volcano’s victims, creating molds that remained intact long after the bodies had decayed. Archeologists poured liquid plaster into the forms, preserving the exact shapes of the bodies at the moment of death.
The brief reigns in 68-69 of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius were followed by that of Vespasian, who ruled from 69 to 79. He and his sons, the emperors Titus and Domitian, are known as the Flavians. They revived the simpler court of the early imperial days and tried to restore the authority of the Senate and promote the welfare of the people. During the reign of Titus (79-81) occurred the famous eruption of Vesuvius that devastated an area south of Naples, destroying the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Domitian, in whose reign (81-96) lived the best writers of the Silver Age of Latin literature, became a cruel and suspicious tyrant in the later years of his rule, and the period of terror associated with his name ended with his murder.Ruins of Pompeii
In AD 79, the ancient volcano Vesuvius erupted and rained hot ash, stones, and cinders over the city of Pompeii, located a mile away. About 4 m (13 ft) of ash covered the city, which remained buried for more than 1500 years. Archaeologists began excavating Pompeii during the 18th century, finding the remains of people, ancient buildings, and other artifacts preserved amid the volcanic debris. Among the structures uncovered was The Forum of Pompeii, pictured, a group of temples, courts, and palaces that served as the city’s legislative center.
The brief reign (96-98) of Marcus Cocceius Nerva initiated a new era, known as that of the five good emperors, the others being Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. Each emperor was chosen and then legally adopted by his predecessor, being selected for his ability and his integrity. Trajan, emperor from 98 to 117, expanded the borders of the empire by the campaigns against the Dacians and the Parthians, and was noted for his excellent administration. Under him the empire reached its greatest extent. The satirist Juvenal, the orator and letter writer Pliny the Younger, and the historian Cornelius Tacitus all flourished during Trajan's reign. The 21 years of Hadrian's rule (117-38) were a period of peace and prosperity; giving up some of the Roman territories in the east, Hadrian consolidated the empire and stabilized its boundaries. The reign of his successor, Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-61), was likewise orderly and peaceful. That of the next emperor, the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161-80), who was coruler with Lucius Aurelius Verus (130-69) until the latter's death, was troubled by incursions by various migrating tribes into different parts of the empire. Marcus Aurelius was succeeded by his profligate son Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, who was considered one of the most sanguinary and licentious tyrants of history and was murdered in 192.
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