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Mount
Vesuvius (Italian: Monte Vesuvio,
Latin: Mons Vesuvius) is a volcano east of Naples, Italy. It
is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within
the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting. The
only other two such volcanoes in Italy (Etna and Stromboli) are
located on islands. Vesuvius is on the coast of the Bay of Naples,
about nine kilometres (six miles) east of Naples and a short
distance from the shore. It is conspicuous in the beautiful
landscape presented by the Bay of Naples, when seen from the sea,
with Naples in the foreground. Vesuvius is best known for its
eruption in A.D. 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities
of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It has erupted many times since and is
today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world
because of the population of 3,000,000[1]
people now living close to it and its tendency towards explosive
eruptions.Mount Vesuvius was regarded by the Greeks and Romans as
being sacred to the hero and demigod Hercules/Heracles, and the town
of Herculaneum, built at its base, was named after him.
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