On this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted and destroyed the city of Pompeii, killing around 3,360 people.

Because the city was buried so quickly by volcanic ash, the site is a well-preserved snapshot of life in a Roman city. We even have a detailed account of the disaster recorded by Pliny the Younger, who interviewed survivors and recorded events in a letter to his friend Tacitus.

Did you know that both Pliny the Younger and Pliny the Elder (his uncle) live on forever in beer worship as two of the highest rated beverages in the world? Russian River Brewing proudly brews both award winning beers and keeps the history of the Plinys alive.

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