Conflation Possibilities - The Dead Fish and Soldiers, Malalas Confusion, and the Seventeenth of Adar Quakes

It is possible that the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake and the Malalas Confusion Quake refer to the same historical event. Karcz (2004) considered this possibility and suggested that Malalas may have misidentified the reigning Seleucid king when describing the earthquake that allegedly struck Antioch. Karcz (2004) also proposed that the Seventeenth of Adar Quake might refer to the same event as the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake.

Karcz (2004) constrained the possible date of the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake to the interval between 145/144 BCE and 138/137 BCE. He further noted that if the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake and the Seventeenth of Adar Quake represent the same event, the most likely date would be 143/142 BCE.

Guidoboni et al. (1994) did not discuss the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake and instead dated the Malalas Confusion Quake to 148 BCE (or possibly 130 BCE). Ambraseys (2009) also dated the Malalas Confusion Quake to 148 BCE, while assigning the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake to 139 BCE. In discussing the battle that preceded the Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake, Ambraseys (2009) noted the following.

This battle probably took place about six years after Alexander Balas’ death in 145 BC (Clinton 1830, v, 327). However, the sequence of events for the years following Alexander’s death would put the event between 138 and 125 BC (Pauly.W iv, 2, col. 2800).