Etna is around 500,000 years old. This figure is estimated because of the number of eruptions and by judging the age of the rock from the volcano.
Eruptions
The earliest eruptions date back to more than 1500 BC. More recent eruptions occurred in 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The eruptions are minor but frequent. However, a major eruption does occur in around 300 years. The last major eruption was in 1928 and the one before that in 1669.