551 CE Beirut Quake

Chronicle of Theophanes
Background and Biography

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Mango and Scott (1997)

from Mango and Scott (1997:331-332)

[AM 6043, AD 550/551]

Justinian, 24th year
Chosroes, 26th year
Vigilius, 13th year
Menas, 14th year
Peter, 6th year
Apolinarios, 2nd year
Domnus, 6th year

In April [1] of this year, of the 14th indiction, Narses, the cubicularius, was sent to Rome with instructions to make war on the Goths who had regained Rome. For after Belisarius had won the city, the Goths had risen up and recaptured it. [2] On 9 July [3] there was a severe and frightful earthquake throughout Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Phoenicia. The following cities suffered: Tyre, Sidon, Berytos, Tripolis, and Byblos, and a great many people perished therein. In the city of Botrys, a large piece of the mountain called Lithoprosopon, which lies close to the sea, was broken off and thrown into the sea, so forming a harbour big enough for many large ships to moor there,- for previously that city had not had a harbour. The emperor sent money for restoring what had fallen in these cities. The sea retreated one mile towards the deep and many ships were lost. Later, at God's command, it returned to its own bed.

Footnotes

[a] Mai. 484. 22-485. 3, frag. Tusc. iv. 26.

[b] Mai. 485. 8-23; cf. Mich. Syr. ii.244, 246-7; Chi. 724, 100. 4-5.

[1] Mai. frag. Tusc. iv. 26 gives the date as April of the 13th indiction, and Mai.'s indiction dates (esp. those from the Tusculan frags.) should normally be preferred. In that case Narses went to Italy in 550 and not 551 (as Bury, Stein, and PLRE maintain, all ultimately dependent on O. Korbs, Untersuchungen zur ostgotischen Geschichte, vol. i (Jena, 1913), 81, 84-6) and the chronology of Narses' campaign in Italy needs revision. Prok.'s detailed narrative, however, linking Narses' movements with the death of Germanus, provides strong support for 551. Assuming Theoph.'s source here did read indiction 13 (rightly or wrongly), he will have changed the indiction number because he had already reached June of the 13th indiction (the dedication of the Holy Apostles) and so puts a following April into the next year. Cf. AM 6040 for the same technique.

[2] This is confused. Belisarius had originally captured Rome in Dec. 536. The Goths recaptured it in Dec. 546 but lost it again to Belisarius early in 547. Totila had recaptured Rome in Jan. 550.

[3] Frag. Tusc. iv. 27-8 gives the date as 6 July of the 14th indiction. Agathias records an earthquake in Alexandria too for 551.

Chronology

Theophanes provided a date (9 July) which is incorporated into the Chronology Table below. In typical fashion, Theophanes' regnal years are chronologically inconsistent. Despite the large spread in possible years, 550 and 551 CE receive the most support and agree with the A.M._a and Indiction which, for Theophanes, are usually the most chronologically accurate time markers.

Chronology Table

Year Reference Corrections Notes

9 July 550 or 551 CE On 9 July A.M._a 6043 none

A.M._a 6043 corresponds to 25 Mar. 550 to 24 Mar. 551 CE using Grumel's MA synchronism. For the month of July this puts the year in 550 CE.

If, however, Theophanes used the MB synchronism, as may be suggested by the indiction, A.M._a 6043 corresponds to 1 Sept. 550 to 31 Aug. 551 CE. For the month of July this would put the year in 551 CE.

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 551 CE 14th indiction none

14th indiction equates to 1 Sept. 550 to 31 Aug. 551 CE which for the month of July leads to 551 CE

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 550 CE Justinian, 24th year none

Justinian's reign began on 1 April 527 CE which places his 24th year to between 1 Apr. 550 and 30 Mar. 551 CE. For the month of July, this equates to 550 CE

Calculated with CHRONOS

Russell (1985), for reasons unstated and unknown, calculated that the 24th year of Justinian's reign spanned from Aug. 550 - July 551

Ambraseys (2009) noted that the 24th year of Justinian's reign is one year too low (ie 550 CE).

9 July 557 CE Chosroes, 26th year none

Reign began on 13 September 531 CE. 26th year would span from 13 Sept. 556 to 12 Sept. 557 CE and lands on 557 CE in July

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 549 CE Vigilius, 13th year none

Papacy began 29 March 537. 13th year would span from 29 Mar. 549 to 28 Mar. 550 CE and lands on 549 CE in July

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 549/550 CE Menas, 14th year none

Patriarch of Constantinople starting in 536 CE. 14th year could span from 1 Jan. 549 to 30 Dec. 530 CE which makes 549 and 550 CE both possible

Calculated with CHRONOS

severe outlier - useless date Peter, 6th year none

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem 524-552 CE but died in 544 CE (?).

6th year of a reign starting in 524 CE could span from 1 Jan. 529 to 30 Dec. 530 CE which makes no sense

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 552/553 CE Apolinarios, 2nd year none

Greek Patriarch of Alexandria ruled from 551-569 CE. 2nd year could span from 1 Jan. 552 to 30 Dec. 553 CE which makes 552 and 553 CE both possible

Calculated with CHRONOS

9 July 551/552 CE Domnus, 6th year none

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch ruled from 546-561 CE. 6th year could span from 1 Jan. 551 to 30 Dec. 552 CE which makes 551 and 552 CE both possible

Calculated with CHRONOS

550/551 CE Narses sent to Rome none

See Footnote 1 from Mango and Scott (1997)'s translation (repeated below)

Footnote 1 from Mango and Scott (1997)'s translation

[1] Mai. frag. Tusc. iv. 26 gives the date as April of the 13th indiction, and Mai.'s indiction dates (esp. those from the Tusculan frags.) should normally be preferred. In that case Narses went to Italy in 550 and not 551 (as Bury, Stein, and PLRE maintain, all ultimately dependent on O. Korbs, Untersuchungen zur ostgotischen Geschichte, vol. i (Jena, 1913), 81, 84-6) and the chronology of Narses' campaign in Italy needs revision. Prok.'s detailed narrative, however, linking Narses' movements with the death of Germanus, provides strong support for 551. Assuming Theoph.'s source here did read indiction 13 (rightly or wrongly), he will have changed the indiction number because he had already reached June of the 13th indiction (the dedication of the Holy Apostles) and so puts a following April into the next year. Cf. AM 6040 for the same technique.

Seismic Effects

there was a severe and frightful earthquake throughout Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Phoenicia¹

The following cities suffered: Tyre, Sidon, Berytos, Tripolis, and Byblos, and a great many people perished therein

In the city of Botrys, a large piece of the mountain called Lithoprosopon, which lies close to the sea, was broken off and thrown into the sea

The emperor sent money for restoring what had fallen in these cities

tsunami² - The sea retreated one mile towards the deep and many ships were lost. Later, at God's command, it returned to its own bed.

Footnotes

1 Guidoboni et al (1994) suggested that the other more distant areas listed (e.g. Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Arabia) can be expected to have suffered secondary effects.

2 Though unlocated, it can be assumed to be on the Phoenician littoral.

Locations

Palestine

Arabia

Mesopotamia

Syria

Phoenicia

Tyre

Sidon

Beirut

Tripolis

Byblos

many towns and villages

Botrys³

Footnotes

3 Russell (1985) noted that one codex (10th century Paris Codex Gr. 1710) refers to Botryos as Bostra, the then Byzantine capital of Arabia which is clearly in error as a landslide related to an existing landmark (Lithoprosopon) is described at Botryos. Russell (1985) added that Classen (1839: vii, 352) pointed out that the 12th century Vatican Codex 154 referred instead to Botryos.

Sources

Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Notes

Theophanes' Calendar

Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
9 July 550 or 551 CE	On 9 July A.M._a 6043	none	A.M._a 6043 corresponds to 25 Mar. 550 to 24 Mar. 551 CE using Grumel's MA synchronism. For the month of July this puts the year in 550 CE. If, however, Theophanes used the MB synchronism, as may be suggested by the indiction, A.M._a 6043 corresponds to 1 Sept. 550 to 31 Aug. 551 CE. For the month of July this would put the year in 551 CE. Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 551 CE	14th indiction	none	14th indiction equates to 1 Sept. 550 to 31 Aug. 551 CE which for the month of July leads to 551 CE Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 550 CE	Justinian, 24th year	none	Justinian's reign began on 1 April 527 CE which places his 24th year to between 1 Apr. 550 and 30 Mar. 551 CE. For the month of July, this equates to 550 CE Calculated with CHRONOS Russell (1985), for reasons unstated and unknown, calculated that the 24th year of Justinian's reign spanned from Aug. 550 - July 551 Ambraseys (2009) noted that the 24th year of Justinian's reign is one year too low (ie 550 CE).
9 July 557 CE	Chosroes, 26th year	none	Reign began on 13 September 531 CE. 26th year would span from 13 Sept. 556 to 12 Sept. 557 CE and lands on 557 CE in July Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 549 CE	Vigilius, 13th year	none	Papacy began 29 March 537. 13th year would span from 29 Mar. 549 to 28 Mar. 550 CE and lands on 549 CE in July Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 549/550 CE	Menas, 14th year	none	Patriarch of Constantinople starting in 536 CE. 14th year could span from 1 Jan. 549 to 30 Dec. 530 CE which makes 549 and 550 CE both possible Calculated with CHRONOS
severe outlier - useless date	Peter, 6th year	none	Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem 524-552 CE but died in 544 CE (?). 6th year of a reign starting in 524 CE could span from 1 Jan. 529 to 30 Dec. 530 CE which makes no sense Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 552/553 CE	Apolinarios, 2nd year	none	Greek Patriarch of Alexandria ruled from 551-569 CE. 2nd year could span from 1 Jan. 552 to 30 Dec. 553 CE which makes 552 and 553 CE both possible Calculated with CHRONOS
9 July 551/552 CE	Domnus, 6th year	none	Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch ruled from 546-561 CE. 6th year could span from 1 Jan. 551 to 30 Dec. 552 CE which makes 551 and 552 CE both possible Calculated with CHRONOS
550/551 CE	Narses sent to Rome	none	See Footnote 1 from Mango and Scott (1997)'s translation (repeated below) Footnote 1 from Mango and Scott (1997)'s translation [1] Mai. frag. Tusc. iv. 26 gives the date as April of the 13th indiction, and Mai.'s indiction dates (esp. those from the Tusculan frags.) should normally be preferred. In that case Narses went to Italy in 550 and not 551 (as Bury, Stein, and PLRE maintain, all ultimately dependent on O. Korbs, Untersuchungen zur ostgotischen Geschichte, vol. i (Jena, 1913), 81, 84-6) and the chronology of Narses' campaign in Italy needs revision. Prok.'s detailed narrative, however, linking Narses' movements with the death of Germanus, provides strong support for 551. Assuming Theoph.'s source here did read indiction 13 (rightly or wrongly), he will have changed the indiction number because he had already reached June of the 13th indiction (the dedication of the Holy Apostles) and so puts a following April into the next year. Cf. AM 6040 for the same technique.