Okay, the calendar's really a little different

(there being a few days discrepancy between Julian and Gregorian calendars), but let's say for simplicity's sake that today, August 24th, is the anniversary of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum [see below for more on that]. Pliny the Elder died during the eruption (although it may have been a stroke or heart attack, rather than directly caused by the volcano), and his nephew Pliny the Younger was an eye-witness to the eruption from some distance away.

One strange thing, an historical puzzle:

Date of the eruption
The eruption of AD 79 was documented by contemporary historians and is universally accepted as having started on 24 August. However the archeological excavations of Pompeii suggest that the town was buried a couple of months later. For example, people buried in the ash appear to be wearing warmer clothing than the light summer clothes that would be expected in August. The fresh fruit and vegetables in the shops are typical of October, and conversely the summer fruit that would have been typical of August was already being sold in dried, or conserved form. Wine fermenting jars had been sealed over, and this would have happened around the end of October. The coins found in the purse of a woman buried in the ash include a commemorative coin that should have been minted at the end of September. So far there is no definitive theory as to why there should be such an apparent discrepancy.

The source listed for the above is:

Grete Stefani (October 2006). "La vera data dell'eruzione" Archeo (260): 10–14.

Hmmm....