Few lived to tell the tale of that horrifying tragedy, but in the 16th century two letters came to light. At the time of the eruption, a man known as Pliny the Younger was staying at the home of his uncle, Pliny the Elder.
Like a modern-day storm chaser, the older Pliny set out for the heart of Pompeii at the first signs of the volcano's stirring, to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. He did not survive; however, his nephew, who remained behind with his mother, did live. Pliny the Younger's letters to his friend Tacitus, a Roman historian, recount the events of that terrifying day. This is the only known eyewitness account of the eruption.