Rien’s world exists because of a vague idea I once had. When Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE, it only destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. But Mt Vesuvius has the potential to be a much worse eruption, then and now. It’s 150 miles/242km from Pompeii to Rome. Ash fell from Mount St Helens over 7 states. What if, instead of destroying two cities, Vesuvius destroyed Rome as an empire? What if Vesuvius went worst case scenario – a Mt Tambora or a Yellowstone caldera? When Yellowstone goes, there’s a good chance that Salt Lake City, Boise and Spokane will cease to exist, and Seattle, Denver and Portland may not be far behind. It’s 500 miles/800km from Denver to Yellowstone.
Tag: <span>Origins</span>
Archive: Originally posted on 09/01/2010 at mac.com
Nine years ago [23 years as of 2024], I was thinking about the fall of the Roman Empire. (Yes, I do this.) Rome didn’t fall so much as contract and stop interfering in the world, but it still served as a center of communication, cultural movement and authority.