Living and Dying in Pompei

Overview

One of the most famous dramatic events in history: the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, wiping out these two cities of the Roman Empire. In this episode, Alberto Angela will recount the 24 hours preceding the eruption of Vesuvius through the stories of two families, one from Herculaneum and one from Pompeii, who lived on the slopes of Vesuvius, unaware of the impending catastrophe. The story will unfold in the most evocative locations of the two sites: the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, where we will preview some of the marvelous, recently restored frescoes, and the arches of Herculaneum, where almost all of the city's inhabitants perished while trying to escape the volcano's fury towards the sea.