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PLINY THE ELDER’S RESCUE MISSION TO POMPEII

THEROMANSTATESMAN,ADMIRAL,ANDSCHOLARISMEMORIALIZEDBY…ABEER?

STORY AND PHOTO ART BY MICHAEL BURGE

t would be interesting to know Pliny caught in the hot ash, pumice and toxic gas
the Elder’s take on having a beer that descended on Pompeii in 79 A.D., when
named after him, two thousand years Vesuvius blasted its guts into the sky. Pliny
after he died in the eruption of Mount the Elder was visiting his sister, Plinia, and
I Vesuvius. The India pale ale that nephew, Pliny the Younger, at a villa on a
bears his name has been brewed by the cape eighteen miles away across the Bay
Russian River Brewing Company since of Naples. The place was called Misenum
2004, and has developed a sort of cult fol‐ and provided a perfect view of the moun‐
lowing because it is produced in limited tain and the Pompeii shoreline. On the af‐
quantities. One does not so much buy Pliny ternoon of the eruption, Plinia pointed out
the Elder™ as discover it. a strange mushroom shaped cloud sprout‐
Pliny died while trying to save people ing from the mountain high into the sky.

214 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2024