Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (also known as Pliny the younger) was 18 at the time of the eruption. After the death of his father, Pliny was raised in the household of his uncle Pliny the Elder, who appointed a fleet of ships to Misenum on the bay of Naples. Pliny the Elder later died at Stabiae northwest of Pompeii after sailing to rescue friends. Pliny the Younger left his mark on history by leaving behind a series of letters, written as he watched the horror of Vesuvius unfold. His letters helped and are helping historians and archaeologists learn and discover important details. These letters help to put together timelines and have been used to pinpoint how, when, what the eruption looked like in 79 AD. Today this type of volcanic eruption is now called “Plinian” or a “Plinian eruption”, in his honour.