Pseudo-Dionysius of Tell-Mahre provides a month — June —
but misdates the year of the earthquake, describing it in three separate
entries as 553, 557, and 559 CE. In one entry,
Pseudo-Dionysius reports that “a severe and powerful earthquake
occurred, in addition to the other ones,” during which
“numerous cities collapsed, as did the cities of Phoenicia —
that is, Arabia and Palestine, Beirut, Tripolis, Tyre, Sidon,
Sarepta, Byblos, Antarados, and the rest of their towns,
villages, and districts, which fell and were ruined.” He also
records a rockslide and the collapse of the city of Botrys.
In another entry, he writes that “a powerful earthquake took
place, and Beirut, as well as many other coastal cities and
villages in Galilee, Arabia, Palestine, and Samaria,
collapsed.” He further notes that “when the terrible
earthquake suddenly happened, the sea from the city of Beirut
and the other cities along the seashore of Phoenicia fell back,
withdrew, retreated, and fled away as far as two miles in
distance.” After this, “the immensity of the terrible sea
suddenly ran to return to its former depths,” and while this
surge was happening, “a severe earthquake occurred.”
He also reports that a fire “blazed inside the ruins [of
Beirut] for up to two months” with such intensity that “even
the stones burned and turned into lime.” The fire was
extinguished when “it rained for three days and three nights.”
Emperor Justinian is said to have sent funds to aid the victims
and rebuild “part of the city.”