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Continuation of Eutychius’ Annals by Yahya of Antioch

Aliases
Aliases in Arabic
Yahya of Antioch
Yaḥya ibn Saʿīd al-Anṭākī يحيى بن سعيد الأنطاكي
al-Anṭākī
Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Excerpts
English from Kratchkovsky and Vasilev (1924)

On the night of Saturday, on the the seventeenth of Muharram in the year 381 [April 5, 991], there was a great earthquake in Damascus, more than a thousand houses collapsed and a large number of inhabitants perished under the rubble. This same night a village in the vicinity of Baalbek was swallowed up. Other earthquakes then occurred in Damascus and in the province but the most violent was that of Damascus and Baalbek. After these earthquakes, others still took place. The inhabitants, after having left their homes, went into the desert and remained there in tents. The earthquakes succeeded each other without respite until Friday, the seventeenth day of Safar of the same year [May 5, 991 (Tuesday)]

French from Kratchkovsky and Vasilev (1924)

Dans la nuit du samedi dix-septieme jour de mouharrem de l'an 381 [5 avril 991] il y eut un grand tremblement de terre ä Damas, plus de mille maisons s'ecroulerent et un grand nombre d'habitants perit sous les decombres. Cette meme nuit un village des environs de Ba'lbek fut englouti; d'autres tremblements de terre se produisirent ensuite ä Damas et dans la province, mais le plus violent fut celui de Damas et de Ba'lbek; apres ces tremblements de terre d'autres eurent encore lieu. Les habitants, apres avoir quitte leurs maisons, allerent dans le desert et y demeurerent sous les tentes. Les tremblements de terre se succederent sans reläche jusqu'au vendredi dix- septieme jour de cafar de la meme annee [5 mai 991 (mardi)].

French and Arabic from Kratchkovsky and Vasilev (1924) - embedded



Chronology
Main Shock
Year Reference Corrections Notes
Night of 5 April 991 CE Night of 17 Muharram A.H. 381 none
End of Aftershocks
Year Reference Corrections Notes
5 May 991 CE Aftershocks continued until Friday 17 Safar A.H. 381 none
Seismic Effects
  • More than a thousand houses collapsed in Damascus
  • Many died
  • Aftershocks lasted around a month
  • A village near Baalbek was swallowed up
Locations
  • Damascus
  • A village near Baalbek
Online Versions and Further Reading
References