Pliny the Younger was a man from Ancient Rome that had come to be a lawyer, writer and a natural philosopher. A natural philosopher was someone who studied nature and the universe before modern science. Today it would be called natural science.

Pliny traveled to Rome at an early age where he became close to his uncle, Pliny the Elder. Pliny the Elder was also a lawyer, ancient author and naturalist, or natural philosopher. He is remembered for thinking that “true glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read”. Pliny the Younger was later adopted by his uncle, Pliny the Elder.

Pliny the Elder’s most famous work is called Natural History. It is an encyclopedia written in AD 77 with lots of information from many scholars from years ago that people studied. Its importance in the study of medicine, plants, agriculture, architecture and sculpture still lasts today.

Pliny the Younger started writing at the age of fourteen. Over the years he would write many things including poetry. His letters to friends and associates are of great importance. Two of Pliny the Younger’s letters include the description of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79. His uncle, Pliny the Elder died in the eruption. Vulcanologists call that type of eruption a Plinian because of the information in his letters from long ago.

Letters from famous people of yesterday tell us a lot about history. Pliny the Younger’s letters tell us a lot about Roman history today.

A great source of news outside of Pliny the Younger’s letters about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius is the buried and ruined Roman city of Pompeii itself. It was a lost city for 1700 years before it was accidentally discovered in 1748. Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy were both destroyed and buried during the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic activity took two days to destroy the two cities.

Archaeologists are scientists that dig into the earth. They study soil and materials found beneath the surface. They discovered twelve different layers of soil on the city of Pompeii. Their studies tell them things about the people that lived on the land. They can figure out when the people lived there and what the weather was like during that time.

Archaeological digs of Pompeii showed how old the city was before it was destroyed. It was as old as 800 – 600 BC. They found Roman pavement in the soil as old as 400 BC and 200 BC. Pompeii is rich with history of its founders and invaders. Archaeologists can see where architecture changed when new rulers took over the city and enlarged the town. Pompeii was to be an important town by the sea. Goods arrived there for Italy.

Pompeii serves as a frozen picture in time. The excavated town is full of preserved houses and community places. There is an ancient Greek wrestling school called a Palaestra with a swimming pool and an amphitheatre.

Today Pompeii is the most popular historic tourist destination in Italy and is visited by over two million people each year. It is part of the Vesuvius National Park and tells us much about the history of Pompeii and its people.

The two Pliny’s and the archaeological study of Pompeii are wonderful examples of some new and old ways in which news is gathered.