The Roman city was apparently buried two months later than it was written in history. We may need to rewrite history books.

Pompeii City

According to experts, a new found refutes the previous assumption that the famous Roman city of Pompeii perished in a volcanic eruption on 24 August of the year 79 AD. In the remains of a house was found an inscription dated from the 16th day before the calendars of November, i.e from 17th October, as excavation leader Massimo Osanna reported on Tuesday.

Thus, the volcanic eruption must have happened two months later than expected. Previously, based on contemporary accounts and archaeological evidence, researchers estimated that Pompeii and the nearby city of Herculaneum were buried on August 24, 79 AD, during a violent eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. However, according to excavation leader Osanna, it occurred in the 19th century, fossilized autumn fruits found in the ruins indicated a later date.

“We may rewrite the history books today because we date the volcanic eruption to the second half of October,” Italy’s Minister of Culture Alberto Bonisoli said. Pompeii is the second most important tourist attraction in Italy after the Coliseum in Rome. In the first eight months of this year alone, the site counted more than three million visitors.

Sources: Die Presse