Background
Pliny was raised and educated by his uncle Pliny the Elder. Pliny was a lawyer, an author and magistrate of Ancient Rome. He wrote many letters which are now regarded as historical sources for that time period. Included in those letters are those that he wrote to his friend, Cornelius Tacitus, about the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and death of his uncle 25 year after the events occurred. His letters give an accurate account of the eruption
Letters of Pliny
The letters of Pliny tell us a lot about the eruption which has been confirmed by scientist to be accurate, therefore we know that some of what Pliny wrote was true. They also give us insight to what the eruption was like for the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum. But Pliny's letters are limited as to the information they give, this is because he wrote the letters to his friend 25 years later. Over time Pliny's memory could have decreased and his information could be inaccurate. Because Pliny is the only eyewitness he is our only source for how the Romans felt during the eruption, it also means we have nothing to compare Pliny's information to. Because he was writing to a friend Pliny could have exaggerated what happened to make his uncle seem more brave, or the people to seem more or less frightened.
Pliny's first letter to Tacitus:
Pliny's first letter is about his uncle, how he went to help those closer to Mt Vesuvius, and his death. Pliny didn't actually witness his uncle's death but was told about it second hand by someone, therefore details about his uncle's journey to helping those closer to Mt Vesuvius and details about his death could be inaccurate. This is because as a story is told no matter how true it is little details change every time it is told.
" He had been enjoying the sun, had taken a cold bath, had eaten a light lunch while lying down, and was working. He called for his sandals and climbed to the place form which he would have the best view of the phenomenon."
Here we see that the earthquakes that had been happening for several days had not bothered the Roman as they were going about their usual routines, enjoying the sun, taking cold baths, eating lunches while reclining on their couches and working. So we come to see that they were used to the earthquakes and had become used to them. We also see how unprepared for a natural disaster, apart from earthquakes, they were as his uncle called for his sandals rather than just running outside barefoot to see what was happening, he patiently waited for his sandals and proceeded to climb to the best vantage point instead of just going outside. so we understand they were uneducated about volcanic activity leading us to believe that the volcano had not erupted while the Romans occupied Pompeii and Herculaneum.
"...in order to lessen his friend's fear by his own assurance, he ordered that he be taken to the baths. Having washed, he reclined to dinner, either cheerful or (equally impressively) pretending to be cheerful."
Here Pliny shows us that the Mt Vesuvius' eruption didn't instill fear or panic into the minds of the Romans as they still continued to go to the baths a place for socialising and dine in luxury -reclining on couches. The eruption might have put concern in their heads as Pliny's uncle could have been pretending to be cheerful but the concern if any at all was not great enough for them to change their daily routine.
Pliny's second letter to Tacitus:
Pliny's second letter is more about him and his experience of the eruption.
" I spent the res t of my time on work, since this was the reason I had stayed behind; then I had a bath, dinner, and a short, disturbed sleep. For many days previously there had been earth tremors, less alarming because frequent in Campania"
Pliny allows us to see that even after the eruption people were still going about their daily routines. The eruption hadn't significantly scared anyone as they didn't see it as a big deal. We also see that the previous days earthquakes hadn't alerted the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum as they were used to the seismic activity.
"Then finally we decided to leave the town; a dazed mob followed us, preferring someones else's plan to their own- the nearest they could get to prudence in their panic."
Once the ash started falling and the ground started to shake the people start became frightened and preferred to follow instead of lead to prevent themselves from embarrassment. They didn't know what to do because they hadn't experienced a volcanic eruption before. Pliny tells us that the crowd of people were full of fear and were ready to follow anyone.
"...there were some who in their fear of dying prayed for death; many raised their hands to the gods: more still concluded that there were no gods and that this was the world's final and everlasting night."
Here we see a little into the beliefs of the Romans, we understand that they prayed to the gods for many things and on many occasions their prays would be answered but this time they thought that the eruption was too great for even the gods to save them. Because they had never seen an eruption before they were stricken with so much fear that many people abandoned their belief system and lost faith in their gods.
"And there were people who exaggerated the real dangers by inventing fictitious terrors. Some were there with the news that one part of Misenum had collapsed and another part was on fire; though false, people believed it."
We are told that the people were so scared that they were ready to believe anything no matter how untruthful or absurd it was. The people couldn't believe that no one knew what was going on so they believed anyone with a story.
Pliny's first letter to Tacitus:
Pliny's first letter is about his uncle, how he went to help those closer to Mt Vesuvius, and his death. Pliny didn't actually witness his uncle's death but was told about it second hand by someone, therefore details about his uncle's journey to helping those closer to Mt Vesuvius and details about his death could be inaccurate. This is because as a story is told no matter how true it is little details change every time it is told.
" He had been enjoying the sun, had taken a cold bath, had eaten a light lunch while lying down, and was working. He called for his sandals and climbed to the place form which he would have the best view of the phenomenon."
Here we see that the earthquakes that had been happening for several days had not bothered the Roman as they were going about their usual routines, enjoying the sun, taking cold baths, eating lunches while reclining on their couches and working. So we come to see that they were used to the earthquakes and had become used to them. We also see how unprepared for a natural disaster, apart from earthquakes, they were as his uncle called for his sandals rather than just running outside barefoot to see what was happening, he patiently waited for his sandals and proceeded to climb to the best vantage point instead of just going outside. so we understand they were uneducated about volcanic activity leading us to believe that the volcano had not erupted while the Romans occupied Pompeii and Herculaneum.
"...in order to lessen his friend's fear by his own assurance, he ordered that he be taken to the baths. Having washed, he reclined to dinner, either cheerful or (equally impressively) pretending to be cheerful."
Here Pliny shows us that the Mt Vesuvius' eruption didn't instill fear or panic into the minds of the Romans as they still continued to go to the baths a place for socialising and dine in luxury -reclining on couches. The eruption might have put concern in their heads as Pliny's uncle could have been pretending to be cheerful but the concern if any at all was not great enough for them to change their daily routine.
Pliny's second letter to Tacitus:
Pliny's second letter is more about him and his experience of the eruption.
" I spent the res t of my time on work, since this was the reason I had stayed behind; then I had a bath, dinner, and a short, disturbed sleep. For many days previously there had been earth tremors, less alarming because frequent in Campania"
Pliny allows us to see that even after the eruption people were still going about their daily routines. The eruption hadn't significantly scared anyone as they didn't see it as a big deal. We also see that the previous days earthquakes hadn't alerted the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum as they were used to the seismic activity.
"Then finally we decided to leave the town; a dazed mob followed us, preferring someones else's plan to their own- the nearest they could get to prudence in their panic."
Once the ash started falling and the ground started to shake the people start became frightened and preferred to follow instead of lead to prevent themselves from embarrassment. They didn't know what to do because they hadn't experienced a volcanic eruption before. Pliny tells us that the crowd of people were full of fear and were ready to follow anyone.
"...there were some who in their fear of dying prayed for death; many raised their hands to the gods: more still concluded that there were no gods and that this was the world's final and everlasting night."
Here we see a little into the beliefs of the Romans, we understand that they prayed to the gods for many things and on many occasions their prays would be answered but this time they thought that the eruption was too great for even the gods to save them. Because they had never seen an eruption before they were stricken with so much fear that many people abandoned their belief system and lost faith in their gods.
"And there were people who exaggerated the real dangers by inventing fictitious terrors. Some were there with the news that one part of Misenum had collapsed and another part was on fire; though false, people believed it."
We are told that the people were so scared that they were ready to believe anything no matter how untruthful or absurd it was. The people couldn't believe that no one knew what was going on so they believed anyone with a story.