"The ninth day before the calends of September (24th August), in the early afternoon, my mother drew to his attention a cloud of unusual size and appearance. Its general appearance can best be expressed as being like an unbrella pine, for it rose to a great height on a sort of trunk and then split off into branches, I imagine because it was thrust upwards by the first blast then left unsupported as the pressure subsided, or else it was borne down by its own weight so that it spread out and gradually dispersed."
- Pliny the Younger
About Me
I am a civil engineer/IT professional living in Stirling, Scotland, where I have spent most of my working life.
I have used Wikipedia for several years now, but have only recently decided to 'have a go'. I created my account in February 2008 and am interested in Roman history, especially the events of surrounding AD79 when time stopped in ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum.