Chronicon by Bar Hebraeus
Background and Biography Background and Biography
Events August to September 1157 CE Hama and Shaizar Quake(s)
Excerpts English from Budge(1932)
And in the year fourteen hundred and sixty-nine of the GREEKS (A.D. 1158) STEPHEN acted treacherously against TOROS his brother, and he wished to kill him. When TOROS perceived this he seized him and shut him up for ten months. And afterwards, at the entreaty of the FRANKS, he brought him out and he entered the service of the FRANKS. And in this year, which is the year five hundred and fifty-two of the ARABS (A.D. 1157), severe earthquakes took place in SYRIA and they destroyed many towns. As for HAMATH, its fortress and its town and all its large houses fell down upon old men, and women, and children, and tens of thousands of its inhabitants perished therein. And the fortress of SHAIZAR fell, every part of it, and only one woman and one eunuch escaped. And the people of EMESA went forth in great haste and were delivered, but their monasteries and its fortress perished. And in like manner the people of ALEPPO fled from the city, and sat down outside it for days and were delivered, and their houses were thrown down, but only five hundred souls perished in it. And so with KAPHAR TAB, and APAMEA, not one man escaped [326] from them, and many other places as far as RAHBUTH. And also the cities of the FRANKS, HESEN AL-AKRAD and `ARIA, fell completely. In LAODICEA the great church only remained, and all those who were in it were delivered. And the ground inside it was rent asunder, and a chasm which was full of clay appeared, and in the middle of the clay a molten image was standing upright. And similarly the greater part of ANTIOCH and TRIPOLI was destroyed.
- from Budge(1932:284-285)
English from Ambraseys (2009)
- from Ambraseys (2009)
And in this year [a.S. 1469 = 1158 AD] which is the year 552 of the Arabs [AD 1157], severe earthquakes took place in Syria and they destroyed many towns. As for Hamah, its fortress and its town and all its large houses fell down upon old men, women and children, and tens of thousands of its inhabitants perished therein. And the fortress of Shaizar fell, every part of it, and only one woman and one eunuch escaped. And the people of Emessa went forth in great haste and were delivered, but their monasteries and its fortress perished. And in like manner the people of Aleppo fled from the city and sat outside it for days and were delivered, and their houses were thrown down, but only 500 souls perished in it. And so with Kaphar-Tab and Apamea not one man escaped from them and many other places as far as Rahbuth. And also the cities of the Franks, Hesen, al-Akrad and Akra fell completely. In Laodicea the great church only remained, and all those who were in it were delivered. And the ground inside it was rent asunder, and a chasm which was full of clay appeared, and in the middle of the clay a molten image was standing upright. And similarly the greater part of Antiochia and Tripoli was destroyed.(Abu’l-Faraj 325–326/284–285).English from Budge(1932) - embedded
- see 4th line from the bottom of page 284 starting with
And in this year,- from Budge(1932:284-285)
- from archive.org
Chronology
Date Reference Corrections Notes 13 Feb. 1157 CE - 1 Feb. 1158 CE A.H. 552 none calculated using CHRONOS Seismic Effects
Locations
- Syria
- Hamah
- Shaizar - Ambraseys (2009) reports that
Ibn al-Athir places Shaizar ‘half a day’s march’, namely about 16 km, from Damascus.- Emesa (Homs)
- Aleppo
- Kafar Tab
- Apamea
- Rahbuth
- Hisn al-Ak’rad
- Aria
- Latakia
- Antioch
- Tripoli
Sources Sources
Online Versions and Further Reading References