Aerial view of Pompeii and Vesuvius Image credit: Pompeii sites on X

Pompeii’s Last Day: New Study Revisits the Date of Vesuvius’ Eruption

The catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which buried Pompeii and Herculaneum, has long been a source of historical intrigue. Traditionally dated to 24 August based on the writings of Pliny the Younger, this timeline has been questioned over the years, with some scholars proposing a later autumn date.

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The Burial of st Lucy by Caravaggio [cropped]

On This Day in History: Caravaggio’s The Burial of St Lucy Unveiled

On 13 December 1608, the Church of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro in Siracusa, Sicily unveiled Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s The Burial of St Lucy. This poignant masterpiece, commissioned to honour Syracuse’s patron saint, is a striking example of the artist’s mature style, blending realism, raw emotion, and dramatic chiaroscuro.

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