EARTHQUAKES

With the incorporation of the Mediterranean areas into the Roman Empire, Rome was increasingly confronted with the problem of earthquakes. These are reported for Italy during the time of the republic as well, in 217 and 91 bc, with Pliny even telling of simultaneous coastal inundations (nat. 2.199–200). For the imperial era we have more detailed reports about numerous further earthquakes at various places. After Emperor Augustus had already provided assistance to cities in Asia Minor for reconstruction in 25 bc (Strab. 12.8.18; Suet. Tib. 8), in ad 17 the ‘twelve-city earthquake’ in Asia Minor gave cause for Emperor Tiberius to provide state relief as well: Sardes received 10 million sesterces and five years’ tax exemption, and similar provisions also applied to the other cities (Tac. ann. 2.47). An earthquake shook Campania in ad 62, which later made imperial aid from Vespasian necessary, and caused damage in Pompeii that is visible to this day (Sen. nat. 6.1.13ff.). Seventeen years later came the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Earthquakes shook the eastern Mediterranean particularly frequently: in ad 115 Antioch was struck by an earthquake from which Emperor Trajan was just able to escape, and during which several miraculous rescues were attested (Dio 68.24–5). In the middle of the second century ad the earth shook in Lycia, Caria, Kos and Rhodes, leading Emperor Antoninus Pius to provide help for the reconstruction of the cities there (Paus. 8.43.4; Hist. Aug. Antonin. 9). In ad 358 an earthquake in Nicomedia was accompanied by whirlwinds and lightning, so that many houses collapsed, fire broke out and many deaths were lamented, since no help from outside came (Amm. Marc. 17.7.1–8). And in ad 365 an earthquake and tsunami struck the Mediterranean area, devastating Mothone in the Peloponnese and especially Alexandria (Amm. Marc. 26.10.15–19).