Described by Pliny the Younger in part as “a fearful black cloud”, the massive eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 wiped out the settlement of Pompeii. Of course, a number of other small towns were also greatly affected, many of which also had fine architecture and advanced forms of public infrastructure, such as roadways and bridges. The story of the explosion and the subsequent archaeological digs in the area is the focus on this interactive online exhibit created by the Field Museum. A good place to start is the interactive timeline which allows users to move through the events of that fateful day to learn about the progression of the volcanic activity and the reaction by local residents. After looking over the timeline, visitors can learn about each of the cities affected by the eruption, including Oplontis, Herculaneum, and Terzigno.