Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii archaeological park, highlighted that there is 'no documented evidence to confirm the theories on the later dates.' He emphasized that various alternate dates have largely stemmed from 'errors and misunderstanding.' The consensus among modern scholars is that the eruption most likely occurred on 24 August AD79, reinforcing Pliny the Younger's original account.
The study noted that the dating of the eruption has been contentious, with a charcoal inscription dated 17 October discovered in 2018 supporting alternative theories. However, Zuchtriegel pointed out that the oldest manuscripts consistently cite 24 August as the eruption date, leaving little room for doubt about Pliny's observations: 'It’s either you confirm Pliny or assume he made a mistake.'
Climate change and agricultural practices from ancient Pompeii were also examined in the study. Findings of ancient fruits like chestnuts, typically associated with autumn, posed questions about climate consistency. Zuchtriegel remarked, 'People have assumed that nature and climate were always more or less the same, but today we are very aware that this is not the case,' suggesting that environmental conditions might have been different during that era.
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