79 facts for kids
| Millennium: | 1st millennium |
|---|---|
| Centuries: | 1st century BC – 1st century – 2nd century |
| Decades: | 40s 50s 60s – 70s – 80s 90s 100s |
| Years: | 76 77 78 – 79 – 80 81 82 |
| Gregorian calendar | AD 79 LXXIX |
| Ab urbe condita | 832 |
| Assyrian calendar | 4829 |
| Balinese saka calendar | 0–1 |
| Bengali calendar | −514 |
| Berber calendar | 1029 |
| Buddhist calendar | 623 |
| Burmese calendar | −559 |
| Byzantine calendar | 5587–5588 |
| Chinese calendar | 戊寅年 (Earth Tiger) 2775 or 2715 — to — 己卯年 (Earth Rabbit) 2776 or 2716 |
| Coptic calendar | −205 – −204 |
| Discordian calendar | 1245 |
| Ethiopian calendar | 71–72 |
| Hebrew calendar | 3839–3840 |
| Hindu calendars | |
| - Vikram Samvat | 135–136 |
| - Shaka Samvat | 0–1 |
| - Kali Yuga | 3179–3180 |
| Holocene calendar | 10079 |
| Iranian calendar | 543 BP – 542 BP |
| Islamic calendar | 560 BH – 559 BH |
| Javanese calendar | N/A |
| Julian calendar | AD 79 LXXIX |
| Korean calendar | 2412 |
| Minguo calendar | 1833 before ROC 民前1833年 |
| Nanakshahi calendar | −1389 |
| Seleucid era | 390/391 AG |
| Thai solar calendar | 621–622 |
| Tibetan calendar | 阳土虎年 (male Earth-Tiger) 205 or −176 or −948 — to — 阴土兔年 (female Earth-Rabbit) 206 or −175 or −947 |
The year 79 AD was a time nearly 2,000 years ago, when the powerful Roman Empire was still growing. It was part of the 1st century, a period of history that saw many important events and changes. This year is especially famous for a dramatic natural disaster that changed history.
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What Happened in 79 AD?
The year 79 AD was marked by two significant events, one showing the strength of the Roman Empire and the other showing the power of nature.
The Eruption of Mount Vesuvius
One of the most famous events in 79 AD was the huge eruption of Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in what is now Italy. This powerful volcano exploded with incredible force, sending ash, rocks, and hot gas high into the sky.
Cities Buried by Vesuvius
The eruption completely covered two nearby Roman cities: Pompeii and Herculaneum.
- Pompeii was buried under a thick layer of ash and pumice (lightweight volcanic rock). This happened so quickly that many people and objects were preserved exactly as they were, like a snapshot in time.
- Herculaneum was hit by fast-moving flows of superheated gas and volcanic debris. These flows were so hot that they carbonized (burned to charcoal) wood and other materials, preserving them in a different way.
For centuries, these cities were lost and forgotten under the volcanic material. When they were rediscovered much later, archaeologists found amazing details about daily life in the Roman Empire. The ash and debris acted like a time capsule, showing us homes, shops, art, and even the shapes of people and animals caught in the disaster.
Deva Victrix: A Roman Fort
In 79 AD, the Romans also founded a very important military base called Deva Victrix. This fort was built in what is now Chester, a city in England.
- Why it was built: The Roman army built Deva Victrix to help control the northern parts of their territory in Great Britain. It was a strategic location for soldiers to live and train.
- What it was like: The fort was a large, well-planned military camp with strong walls, barracks for soldiers, and other buildings. Over time, a town grew up around the fort.
- Its legacy: Today, you can still see parts of the original Chester city walls that were built by the Romans, showing how important Deva Victrix was.
These two events, the destructive power of Vesuvius and the organized expansion of the Roman Empire, make 79 AD a fascinating year in history.
