3. Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder was a Roman naturalist, philosopher and author. On 79 AD, when the Mount Vesuvius erupted, Pliny was stationed at the nearby Misenum and he crossed the Bay of Naples to get a closer look at the violent volcano. Three days later when the smoke subsided, Pliny was found dead onboard the boat. He was known to suffer from symptoms of asthma and the ash-clogged air may aggravate his condition that led to his death.