Earthquakes
Earthquakes are very common in Greece, because it is right on a fault line of the Aegean plate, a convergent boundary. It is also near the Hellianic Subduction Zone. My research was focusing on the Earthquake that occurred in Greece in 365 CE. This earthquake was an estimated to be an 8 on the Richter scale, but not much other information was available on the subject of scientific tests, because it was an earthquake that happened before much testing was available. The epicenter isn't believed to be off the east coast of Crete, at about 35.0°N 23.0°E.
This earthquake caused many things in Greece, including a tsunami, who's impact, combined with the earthquake, caused the Roman Empire to disintegrate quicker than it would have without the earthquake, because of increased stress on the government due to city destruction and crop failure. The crop failure occurred because salty water of the tsunami caused farmlamd around the Nile Delta to be unable to produce crops for several years. Also, many important trading cities were flooded, and ships were tossed out to sea and battered against the storm. This must have caused a pause or compete stop of trade in many areas.
People in Greece believed that tsunamis were caused by Poseidon sending out a sea monster to flood cities. The historian Ammianus Marcelinnus wrote about this tsunami and earthquake in his book Res Gestae:
“…the solidity of the whole earth was made to shake and shudder, and the sea was driven away, its waves were rolled back, and it disappeared, so that the abyss of the depths was uncovered and many-shaped varieties of sea-creatures were seen stuck in the slime… The waters returning when least expected killed many thousands by drowning.”
In response to this earthquake and many others that plagued Greece during this time, the Greeks started to build architecture that would resist earthquakes. However, the impact of the 365 Crete Earthquake still leveled many structures, from important cities to small villages. One of the most famous cities this earthquake and following tsunami impacted was Alexandria in Egypt. This was where the royal family of Egypt resided for a time. This was a hub of economic activity and trade. The earthquake caused this area to be a ruin.
People in Greece believed that tsunamis were caused by Poseidon sending out a sea monster to flood cities. The historian Ammianus Marcelinnus wrote about this tsunami and earthquake in his book Res Gestae:
“…the solidity of the whole earth was made to shake and shudder, and the sea was driven away, its waves were rolled back, and it disappeared, so that the abyss of the depths was uncovered and many-shaped varieties of sea-creatures were seen stuck in the slime… The waters returning when least expected killed many thousands by drowning.”
In response to this earthquake and many others that plagued Greece during this time, the Greeks started to build architecture that would resist earthquakes. However, the impact of the 365 Crete Earthquake still leveled many structures, from important cities to small villages. One of the most famous cities this earthquake and following tsunami impacted was Alexandria in Egypt. This was where the royal family of Egypt resided for a time. This was a hub of economic activity and trade. The earthquake caused this area to be a ruin.
. Works Cited
Image Citation: Unknown. “Earthquake hits Greek Lefkada island, two dead.” Digital image. Nile TV International. March 23, 2017.
http://www.nileinternational.net/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Earthquake-Greece.jpg
Padden, Kathy. “THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JULY 21ST- THE “DESTRUCTION OF ALL THE WORLD.” Today I Found Out. July 21, 2015. March 15, 2017
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/07/this-day-in-history-july-21st-the-destruction-of-all-the-world/
Worthington, Daryl. “The Eastern Mediterranean Earthquake, 365 CE.” The New Historian. July 20, 2015. March 16, 2017
http://www.newhistorian.com/the-eastern-mediterranean-earthquake-365-ce/4369/
PARARAS-CARAYANNIS, Dr. GEORGE. “EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF JULY 21, 365 AD IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA Review of Impact on the Ancient World - Assessment of Recurrence and Future Impact.” DISASTER PAGES
of Dr. GEORGE PARARAS-CARAYANNIS. November 4, 2011. March 16, 2017.
http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami365ADeEastMedSea.html
Google. “Google Maps” Google Maps. “N.D”. March 16, 2017.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Inachori,+Greece/@35.3693215,23.9809892,9z/data=!4m6!1m3!3m2!1s0x149b03d7c58fb783:0xbb32941128619998!2sCrete+Region,+Greece!3m1!1s0x149cef223a5b34e9:0x400bd2ce2b9ba50
Lizleafloor. “Incredible Construction: Greek Acropolis Built by Ancient Engineers to Resist Earthquakes.” Ancient Origins. 25 MARCH, 2015 - 21:26. March 17, 2017.
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/incredible-construction-greek-acropolis-ancient-earthquakes-020171
Becker, D. Meier, T. Bohnhoff, M. Harjes, H.-P. " Seismicity at the convergent plate boundary offshore Crete, Greece, observed by an amphibian network." Springer Link. April 2010. March 20, 2017.
Image Citation: Unknown. “Earthquake hits Greek Lefkada island, two dead.” Digital image. Nile TV International. March 23, 2017.
http://www.nileinternational.net/en/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Earthquake-Greece.jpg
Padden, Kathy. “THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JULY 21ST- THE “DESTRUCTION OF ALL THE WORLD.” Today I Found Out. July 21, 2015. March 15, 2017
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/07/this-day-in-history-july-21st-the-destruction-of-all-the-world/
Worthington, Daryl. “The Eastern Mediterranean Earthquake, 365 CE.” The New Historian. July 20, 2015. March 16, 2017
http://www.newhistorian.com/the-eastern-mediterranean-earthquake-365-ce/4369/
PARARAS-CARAYANNIS, Dr. GEORGE. “EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI OF JULY 21, 365 AD IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA Review of Impact on the Ancient World - Assessment of Recurrence and Future Impact.” DISASTER PAGES
of Dr. GEORGE PARARAS-CARAYANNIS. November 4, 2011. March 16, 2017.
http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami365ADeEastMedSea.html
Google. “Google Maps” Google Maps. “N.D”. March 16, 2017.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Inachori,+Greece/@35.3693215,23.9809892,9z/data=!4m6!1m3!3m2!1s0x149b03d7c58fb783:0xbb32941128619998!2sCrete+Region,+Greece!3m1!1s0x149cef223a5b34e9:0x400bd2ce2b9ba50
Lizleafloor. “Incredible Construction: Greek Acropolis Built by Ancient Engineers to Resist Earthquakes.” Ancient Origins. 25 MARCH, 2015 - 21:26. March 17, 2017.
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/incredible-construction-greek-acropolis-ancient-earthquakes-020171
Becker, D. Meier, T. Bohnhoff, M. Harjes, H.-P. " Seismicity at the convergent plate boundary offshore Crete, Greece, observed by an amphibian network." Springer Link. April 2010. March 20, 2017.