In A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius exploded in a hail of volcanic rock, sending clouds of fine ash and deadly gases over surrounding towns and farms and burying every trace of life. Two thousand people in nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum died within hours. The authors present an account of the seismic and volcanic activity leading up to this cataclysmic event, as well as a detailed description of the eruption itself and its aftermath.