PLINY THE YOUNGER'S PERSPECTIVE:
Pliny the Younger wrote two letters to Tacitus describing his view of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius from Misenum. This is the primary source that historians have used to understand the events of the 24th of August 79 AD. In his first letter, Pliny wrote about seeing a large cloud in the sky that he described as being similar to a pine tree.
The cloud was rising from a mountain -- at such a distance we couldn't tell which, but afterwards learned that it was Vesuvius. I can best describe its shape by likening it to a pine tree. It rose into the sky on a very long "trunk" from which spread some "branches." Pliny describes the thin column of cloud that branches out into the sky in great detail, helping modern day analysers understand the type of eruption and the finer aspects of what happened. Pliny's letter relates to today's knowledge of volcanoes as it is evident that the eruption of Mount Vesuvius was a 'plinian eruption' (defined as "a type of volcanic eruption in which a narrow stream of gas and ash is violently ejected from a vent to a height of several miles" according to oxforddictionaries.com). oxford This eruption type earned it's name from Pliny as his writing has helped historians to understand the eruption and the events that took place during the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. I imagine it had been raised by a sudden blast, which then weakened, leaving the cloud unsupported so that its own weight caused it to spread sideways. Some of the cloud was white, in other parts there were dark patches of dirt and ash. |
As shown in this quote, Pliny was very observant and curious towards the events of that day, and recorded them in great detail. The shape and the colour of the cloud are aspects of Pliny's writings that prove him to be a valuable and reliable source.
The carts that we had ordered brought were moving in opposite directions, though the ground was perfectly flat, and they wouldn't stay in place even with their wheels blocked by stones. In addition, it seemed as though the sea was being sucked backwards... Behind us were frightening dark clouds, rent by lightning twisted and hurled, opening to reveal huge figures of flame.
- Pliny the Younger's second letter to Tacitus.
Pliny described the water being pulled back and strong earthquakes shaking the ground. He reveals the terrifying nature of the eruption through the vivid description of the clouds containing fire. This quote shows the perspective of Pliny and how he found the eruption emotionally. The detail in which Pliny describes the event from Misenum has changed what scientists and historians know about the eruption, its events, and how people reacted.
LIMITATIONS OF PRIMARY SOURCES:
Primary sources are very helpful at determining what happened during an event or at a specific time in history. They can also tell us about the life of the author, their social and economic status as well as how they felt during the time of the event. However primary sources can have limitations as they often include the perspectives and opinions of the author, which do not necessarily reflect the perspectives and opinions of others. Also, the work can often not be verified due to the time in history it was created, and that the people from that time would usually be deceased, or the translation of the document can change over time. Despite this, Pliny's letter is the only surviving eye witness account of the Mount Vesuvius eruption and provides valuable insight into the lives of Romans in the first century.