Eusebius' Martyr Quake

Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes
Introduction & Summary
Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources
Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius	Greek	Biography	Christian	between 311 and 316 CE	Caesarea	Describes shaking but no specific damage in Caesarea. Supplies a date of 2 April, Says the earthquake struck in the 3rd year of the Diocletianic Persecutions which equates to ~306 CE.
Chronicon written by Eusebius and Translated by Jerome	Latin translation from Greek of the 2nd part of Eusebius' Chronicon	Biography - Eusebius Biography - Jerome	Christian	~325 CE for final edition of original composition ca. 380 CE for Latin translation	Caesarea (final edition of original composition)	Described a horrible earthquake at Tyre and Sidon where many edifices were ruined and an immense number of people were crushed. Provides a variety of chronological markers that specify a year between 300 and 305 CE with 303-305 CE the most likely time span.
History Against the Pagans by Orosius	Latin	Biography	Christian	~416-417 CE	Palestine and/or Gallaecia (northwest Hispania) and/or places between.	Described an earthquake in Syria where thousands of people throughout Tyre and Sidon were crushed by falling buildings. Although, a date is not specified and the year is not explicitly defined, the position of the passage in relation to other events suggests a date range from 303 CE - 1 May 305 CE and a most likely year of 303 CE.
Later Authors
Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes

Date of Composition	Work	Probable Year	Widest possible date range
between 311 and 316 CE	Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius	~306 CE	~306 CE
325 CE	Chronicon written by Eusebius and Translated by Jerome	303 - 305 CE	late 300 CE - June 305 CE
~416-417 CE	History Against the Pagans by Orosius	303 CE	~303 CE - 1 May 305 CE

Date of Composition	Work	Date
between 311 and 316 CE	Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius	2 April

Location	Description	Sources	Comments
Caesarea	Strong Shaking	Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius
Caesarea	Tsunami ?	Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius	Sentence is unclear if a tsunami, strong waves, or a storm surge is described. The sentence could also be embellished, hyperbolic, or fictitious.
Tyre	Fallen buildings killed many people	History Against the Pagans by Orosius, Chronicon written by Eusebius and Translated by Jerome
Sidon	Fallen buildings killed many people	History Against the Pagans by Orosius, Chronicon written by Eusebius and Translated by Jerome

Martyrs of Palestine by Eusebius

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Cureton (1861)

5th paragraph of the Section titled THE CONFESSION OF EPIPHANIUS
from Cureton (1861)

THE CONFESSION OF EPIPHANIUS (Gr. Apphianus)

IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN OUR DAYS IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA.

THAT bitter viper, and wicked and cruel tyrant, which in our time held the dominion of the Romans, went forth, even from his very commencement, to fight as it were against God, and was filled with persecution and rage against us in a far greater degree than any of those who had preceded him--I mean Maminus : and no little consternation fell upon all the inhabitants of the cities, and many were scattered abroad into every country, and dispersed themselves, in order that they might escape the danger which surrounded them.

...

But that wonderful thing which happened after this act I know will not be believed by those who did not witness the wonder with their own eyes, as I myself did: for men are not wont to give the same credence to the hearing of the ear as to the seeing of eye. It is not, however, right for us also, like those who are in error and deficient in faith, to conceal that prodigy which took place at the death of this martyr of God; and we also call as witnesses to you of these things, which we have written, the whole of the inhabitants of the city of Caesarea, for there was not even one of the inhabitants of this city absent from this terrific sight. For after this man of God had been cast into the depths of the terrible sea, with stones tied to his feet, forthwith a great storm and frequent commotions and mighty waves troubled the vast sea, and a severe earthquake made even the city itself tremble, and every one's hands were raised towards heaven in fear and trembling, for they supposed that the whole place, together with its inhabitants, was about to be destroyed on that day. And at the same time, the sea, even as if it were unable to endure it, vomited back the holy body of the martyr of God, and carried it with the waves and laid it before the gate of the city. And there was at that time vast affliction and commotion, for it seemed like a messenger sent from God to threaten all men with great anger . And this which took place was proclaimed to all the inhabitants of the city, and they all ran at once and pushed against each other in order that they might obtain a sight, both boys and men and old men together, and all grades of women, so that even the modest virgins, who kept to their own apartments, went out to see this sight. And the whole city together, even the very children as well, gave glory to the God of the Christians alone, confessing with a loud voice the name of Christ, who had given strength to the martyr in his lifetime to endure such afflictions, and at his death had shewed prodigies to all who beheld.

Such was the termination of the history of Epiphanius, on the second of the month Nisan, and his memory is observed on this day.

English from Cureton (1861) - embedded

see 5th paragraph of the Section titled THE CONFESSION OF EPIPHANIUS starting with But that wonderful thing which happened after this act
from Cureton (1861)
from tertullian.org

Chronology


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
2 April ~306 CE	on the second of the month Nisan IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PERSECUTION WHICH TOOK PLACE IN OUR DAYS IN THE CITY OF CAESAREA	none	the 3rd year of the persecution might date this to ~306 CE as the Diocletianic Persecutions began in 303 CE although when they began in Caesarea is another question The calendar being used is suspected to be a local variant of the lunisolar Macedonian calendar with Jewish names (derived from Babylonian names) substituted for the months. This was apparently the calendar which was in use when Eusebius wrote his texts. In this calendar, Jewish Nisan, Babylonian Nisanu, and Macedonian Artemisios would all correspond to April which means this earthquake is dated to April 2.

Seismic Effects

a severe earthquake made even the city [Caesarea] itself tremble
they supposed that the whole place, together with its inhabitants, was about to be destroyed on that day
at the same time, the sea, even as if it were unable to endure it, vomited back the holy body of the martyr of God, and carried it with the waves and laid it before the gate of the city

Locations

Caesarea

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Chronicon written by Eusebius and Translated by Jerome

Background and Biography

Biography - Eusebius

Biography - Jerome

Excerpts

English translation of Jerome's Latin translation of Eusebius' Chronicon Book Two

4th year of the 270th Olympiad
from tertullian.org

270th Olympiad

...

2320 19 (a jubilee according to most) (Margin Note - 304 AD)

After Theonus, Peter is ordained the 21st bishop of the Church of Alexandria, who later in the ninth year of the persecution accomplished a glorious martyrdom.

Diocletian and Maximian Augusti celebrated a triumph at Rome with notable pomp. Before their chariot went the wife, sisters and children of Narses, and all the booty, which they had looted from the Parthians.

In a horrible earthquake at Tyre and Sidon, many edifices were ruined and an immense number of people were crushed.

In the nineteenth year of Diocletian, during the month of March, in the days of Easter, the churches were destroyed. However in the 4th year of the persecution, Constantine began to reign.

English translation of Jerome's Latin translation of Eusebius' Chronicon Book Two - embedded

see 4th year of the 270th Olympiad
from tertullian.org

Chronology

If we discard the outlier of 300 CE and assume the date of the earthquake was 2 April, the above passage suggests the earthquake struck between 303 and 305 CE.


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
1 July 304 CE to 30 June 305 CE	4th year of the 270th Olympiad	none	Calculated with CHRONOS alternatively Fall 304 to Fall 305 or 1 Jan 304 -31 Dec 304. Although the Olympiad years started in the summer, Eusebius is thought to have started Olympiad years in the fall. Later authors following in Eusebius Chronicle tradition are suspected to have started the Olympiad Year in January in sync with the Julian Calendar. As these texts were copied numerous times before becoming the translated manuscript we have access to, it is possible that scribes "corrected" dates according to what they thought they should be.
303 CE to 305 CE	The Year of Abraham 2330	corrected to 2320	Calculated with CHRONOS Year of Abraham 2330 is listed but 2320 gives a date which fits within the Diocletianic Persecutions
304 CE	Margin note	none
20 Nov. 302 to 19 Nov. 303 CE	19th year of Diocletian	none	Calculated with CHRONOS Diocletian ruled alone from 20 November 284 – 1 April 286 CE and co-reigned from 1 April 286 – 1 May 305 CE
late 300 CE	Peter is ordained the 21st bishop of the Church of Alexandria	none

Seismic Effects

In a horrible earthquake at Tyre and Sidon, many edifices were ruined and an immense number of people were crushed

Locations

Tyre
Sidon

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

History Against the Pagans by Orosius

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Fear (2010)

Book 7 Chapter 25 Sections 13-14
from Fear (2010:362-363)

Chapter 25

1. 1,041 years after the foundation of the City, the army chose Diocletian as the 33rd emperor and he held power for twenty years. Immediately he obtained full power, he killed Numerian’s killer, Aper, with his own hand. Then, through great effort in a most difficult war, he overcame Carinus who was living a disgraceful life in Dalmatia where Carus had left him as Caesar.²⁴³

... 13. Meanwhile, Diocletian in the east and Maximian Herculius in the west ordered that churches be destroyed and Christians be attacked and killed in the ninth persecution after that of Nero. This persecution lasted longer and was more brutal than almost all the previous ones. For ten years there was no end to the burning of churches, the proscription of the innocent, and the slaughter of martyrs.²⁶⁰ 14. An earthquake in Syria followed in which many thousands of men in Tyre and Sidon were killed by falling buildings.²⁶¹ In the second year of the persecution, Diocletian forced Maximian against his will jointly to lay aside the purple and their power, leaving younger men in charge of the state while they retired into private life. And so on the same day, Diocletian laid down his imperial power and its trappings at Nicomedia, while Maximian did the same at Milan.²⁶²

... Chapter 26

1. 1,061 years after the foundation of the City, Constantine became the 34th man to steer the ship of state, taking its rudder from his father and holding on to it for thirty-one prosperous years.²⁶⁶

Footnotes

243 Orosius’s chronology is four years awry. Diocletian was proclaimed emperor by his army at Nicomedia on 20 November 1037 AUC/AD 284. He ruled until AD 305. Orosius’s account of his rise is drawn from Eutropius, 9.19–9.20.1, and Jerome, Chronicle, A Abr. 2301 (who erroneously places his accession in 1040 AUC/AD 287).

260 For a discussion of this persecution, see Williams (1985) ch. 14 and MacMullen (1969) ch. 1.

261 The persecution and earthquake are drawn from Jerome, Chronicle, A Abr. 2320. This persecution began in AD 303 and lasted until Constantine’s edict of Milan in AD 313.

262 The two abdicated on 1 May AD 305. Orosius’s account is a much-abbreviated version of Eutropius, 9.27.1–2.

266 Orosius’s chronology is two years awry. Constantine became emperor in 1059 AUC/AD306.

Chronology


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
~303 CE - 1 May 305 CE - possibly in 303 CE		none	Based on the sequence of events in the passage, Orosius appears to date the earthquake to during the Diocletianic Persecutions (303 - 313 CE) and before the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian Herculius on 1 May 305 CE. Ambraseys (2009) interprets Orosius to specify that the earthquake struck at the start of the Diocletianic Persecution in 303 CE. A year of 303 CE contradicts a year of ~306 CE supplied by contemporaneous author Eusebius in Martyrs of Palestine. Eusebius stated that the earthquake struck during the 3rd year of the Diocletianic Persecution. Fear (2010:n. 243 and n. 246) indicated that Orosius chronology in this part of his book was off by 2-4 years.

Seismic Effects

An earthquake in Syria followed in which many thousands of men in Tyre and Sidon were killed by falling buildings

Locations

Syria
Tyre
Sidon

Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Notes

Calendars used by Orosius

Archaeoseismic Evidence

Location (with hotlink)

Status

Intensity

Notes

Hippos Sussita

unlikely

Segal et al (2014b) excavated an Odeion at Hippos-Sussita from 2008 - 2010. They report that

On the basis of an analysis of the building methods and materials and according to the numismatic and pottery finds, it can be determined to a great degree of certainty that the odeion was erected during the second half of the 1st century CE. It appears that the odeion was in use during the first three centuries of the Common Era. Its condition as revealed during its exposure by the excavators clearly indicates that it was not destroyed. This conclusion is based on the preserved uniform height of the walls, two or three courses, not including the encompassing wall of which six courses have survived. The lack of decorative items that were broken or burnt, the absence of tiles and sooty remains of the ceiling and roof, all testify that the structure was systematically dismantled. It is safe to assume, on the basis of the numismatic and pottery finds, that the dismantling of the structure was carried out during the 4th century CE, apparently before the earthquake of 363 CE. However, we cannot negate the possibility that the odeion was damaged during this earthquake and that a decision was then made not to renovate but rather to dismantle it.

In summary, they did not encounter a destruction layer. While it is possible that the Odeion was dismantled due to damage caused by an earlier earthquake, the excavators did not suggest this.

Tiberias - Hammath Tiberias

possible

Stratum IIB Earthquake (?) - 4th century CE - Magness (2005) reports that in his excavation reports, Moshe Dothan interprets the evidence to indicate that the synagogue of Stratum IIB was destroyed in the Eusebius' Martyr Quake (303-306 CE). Magness (2005) apparently dates the end of Stratum IIB to the 4th century CE and does not ascribe an earthquake to its presumed destruction. Weiss (2009:338) opined that there is no reason to assume that the [Stratum II] Hammath Tiberias synagogue had two distinctly different stages suggesting instead that the Stratum II synagogue underwent several internal changes during its years of existence and that the remodeling of the synagogue that Dothan attributed as a response to the Eusebius' Martyr Quake (303-306 CE) occurred later - some time after the earthquake, most probably in the second half of the fourth century C.E.

es-Sufeira

possible

Eisenberg and Osband (2022) report that excavators Zingboym and Kleiner (2021) suggest that the Eusebius Martyr Quake (between ~303 and ~306 CE) damaged the site.

Tel Dover

possible

Eisenberg and Osband (2022) report that Rapuano (2001) identified an early 4th century CE destruction layer which could have been due to the Eusebius Martyr Quake (between ~303 and ~306 CE).

Gush Halav

possible

End of Stratum VI Phase a Earthquake - Debated Chronology

Although Meyers, Strange, Meyers, and Hanson (1979) interpret destruction at the end of VIa due to the Eusebius' Martyr Earthquake of ~306 AD, their chronology is debated. Magness (2001a) performed a detailed examination of the stratigraphy presented in the final report of Meyers, Meyers, and Strange (1990) and concluded, based on numismatic and ceramic evidence, that a synagogue was not built on the site until no earlier than the second half of the fifth century. While she agreed that earthquake destruction evidence was present in the excavation, she dated the destruction evidence to some time after abandonment of the site in the 7th or 8th centuries AD. Strange (2001) and Meyers (2001) went on to rebut Magness (2001a) to which Magness (2001b) responded again. One point of agreement however is that earthquake destruction evidence does appear to be present.

Eric M. Meyers in Stern et al (1993) also discussed this earthquake

Although the earthquake of 306 CE apparently did a great deal of damage to the structure, the stylobates were shored up and other repairs undertaken to make the period II building sturdier.

Khirbet Shema

possible

1st Earthquake - Debated Chronology

Although excavators Meyers, Kraabel, and Strange (1976) identified two earthquake events ( Eusebius' Martyr Quake of ~306 CE and Monaxius and Plinta Quake of 419 CE) which destroyed a Synagogue I and then a Synagogue II at Khirbet Shema, subsequent authors ( e.g. Russell, 1980 and Magness, 1997) re-examined their chronology and redated the earthquake evidence. Russell (1980) redated the two earthquake events to the northern Cyril Quake of 363 CE and the Monaxius and Plinta Quake of 419 CE while Magness (1997) concluded that there was no solid evidence for the existence of a Synagogue I on the site and evidence for an earthquake event in ~306 CE was lacking. She posited that Synagogue II was constructed in the late 4th to early 5th century CE and concluded that there was no solid evidence for the 419 CE (or 363 CE) earthquake as well. In Magness (1997) interpretation of the evidence, she suggested that the site had been abandoned when an earthquake brought down Synagogue II sometime before the 8th century CE.

Two sealed loci at the site provide a terminus post quem for the construction of Synagogue II. The latest coin found within a Bema was dated to 337-341 AD during the rule of Constans. The bema was described as "absolutely sealed by the stonework of the bema around and over it" where "contamination by later intrusions is virtually impossible" (Meyers, Kraabel, and Strange 1976:34). A declivity in the northwest corner of Synagogue II contained fill which was "sealed beneath more than a meter of debris, including large fallen architectural members" (Meyers, Kraabel, and Strange 1976: 34). Pottery within the fill below was described as homogeneous Middle-Late Roman. At the lowest levels a coin from Gratian (who ruled from 367-383 AD) was discovered. Meyers, Kraabel, and Strange (1976) interpreted the construction above the declivity to be part of a remodel. If we consider that construction above the declivity could also represent original construction, the terminus post quem for the construction of Synagogue II is between 337 and 383 AD. It is conceivable that Synagogue II was constructed over earthquake damaged remains of an earlier structure due to the presence of "battered architectural fragments built into Synagogue II (including those identified as belonging to the "Torah shrine") (Magness, 1997:216) however, as pointed out by Magness (1997) the provenance of these battered elements is unknown. They could come from another building. Nevertheless, this can be considered as possible archeoseismic evidence which predates the construction of Synagogue II. As for the causative earthquake(s), the Eusebius' Martyr Quake of ~306 AD and the Cyril Quake of 363 AD are both possibilities. Two other fills were examined (east and west of the Stylobate wall) but neither were sealed and neither added chronological precision to the construction of Synagogue II.

en-Nabratein

possible

End of Phase IIIa Earthquake - Debated Chronology

Meyers, et al. (2009) performed excavations of what they labeled Synagogue 2 at en-Nabratein. They subdivided the life of this structure into two phases of Period III (Late Roman, A.D. 250-350/363)

Period	Age	Date	Phase
I	Early Roman	1-ca. 135 CE	‎Period I is pre-synagogue, but it does have structural remains related to those of subsequent periods
II	Middle Roman	ca. 135 - ca. 250 CE	‎(Synagogue 1)
III	Late Roman	ca. 250-363 CE	‎
IIIa	Late Roman	ca. 250-306 CE	‎(Synagogue 2a)
IIIb	Late Roman	ca. 306-363 CE	‎(Synagogue 2b)
IV	Byzantine and Early Arab	ca. 564-700 CE	(Synagogue 3)‎

Meyers et al (1982) dated Period III phase a using ceramics and some coins and end phase a with the Eusebius' Martyr Quake of ~306 AD which they believed damaged the synagogue and led to rebuilding. The rebuilding effort initiated Period III phase b. The end of Period III phase b is not precisely dated with material remains. Ceramics and "an irregular supply of coins dating up to ca. 350 A.D." provide the earliest possible date for the end of Period III phase b. The authors state that the end of Period III phase b "is perhaps to be understood as a combination of factors, mainly the revolt against Caesar Gallus (A.D. 350-52), general economic hardships, and the great earthquake of A.D. 363". By the 7th decade of the 4th century AD, the authors consider the site to have been virtually abandoned until a third synagogue was established towards the end of the Byzantine era in A.D. 564; according to an inscription.

Magness (2010) examined the reports of Meyers, Strange, and Meyers (1982) paying attention to stratigraphic levels and chronological information and concluded that the first (and only) Synagogue built on the site occurred "no earlier than the second half of the fourth century, and point to occupation and activity precisely during the centuries when the excavators claim the site was abandoned." A coin of 341-346 from the east wall and pottery suggests a terminus post quem of the second half of the 4th century for the synagogue's construction. Other evidence leads to a terminus ante quem of the second half of the 5th century or later (mid 6th century). There is also the inscription which states that the synagogue was built or remodeled in 564 AD (Magness, 2010). Meyers and Meyers (2010) rebutted Magness (2010) analysis of the stratigraphy and chronology discussing intricate details of sloping bedrock, lensed stratigraphy, later disturbance of the site, the coin of 341-346 not being in the wall but in earthen fill, etc. etc.

Byblos

possible

Ambraseys (2009) discussed an inscription found in Byblos which may allude to the Eusebius Martyr Quake

There is also an inscription from an altar in Byblus that records the survival of one Apollodorus after an earthquake Dussaud (1896:299). The inscription is dated by Seyrig to the second or third century, which would seem to indicate that it is not connected with this earthquake (H. Seyrig, personal communication 5 July 1972). However, since provincial epigraphy is often slower to change than that in major centres, and there is no other earthquake recorded for this location during the second or third century, the inscription has been very tentatively allocated to this event.

Location (with hotlink)

Status

Intensity

Notes

Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes
Tabarja Benches	possible	M_w = ~7.5	Elias et al (2007) examined uplifted benches on the Lebanese coast between Sarafand and Tripolis; some in the vicinity of Tabarja (~20 km. NE of Beirut). They identified four uplifts from 3 or more [sizeable M_w = ~7.5] earthquakes in the past ca. 6-7 ka. They attributed the latest uplift (B1) to the 551 CE Beirut Quake while the earlier events (B2, B3, and B4) were no more precisely dated than between ~5000 BCE and 551 CE. Bench uplift on the earlier events (B2, B3, and B4) would likely have been due to uplift on the Mount Lebanon Thrust system - as was surmised for Event B1 and the 551 CE Beirut Quake.
al-Harif Syria	possible	≥ 7	Sbeinati et. al. (2010) report a seismic event X which they dated to 335 CE± 175 years. M_W = 7.3-7.6 (based on 4.2 m of slip).
Bet Zayda	probable	≥ 7	The Eusebius Martyr Quake of 303-306? CE is a good fit for Event CH4-E3 (Modeled Ages 250-310 CE) particularly as it relates to other events observed. (Wechsler at al., 2014)
Dead Sea	unlikely	n/a	Mistaken report - Although Wechsler et al. (2018:18) reported that ~303 CE shaking was found in the Dead Sea sediment cores (Kagan et. al., 2011; Migowski et. al., 2004 ), Kagan et. al. (2011) did not assign an event of 300-307 CE to any seismites in En Feshka or Nahal Ze 'elim and Migowski et. al. (2004) did not assign an event between 300 and 307 CE in En Gedi. A simple check on whether a ~303 CE seismite would have been masked or overprinted by the Monaxius and Plinta seismite of 419 CE reveals that this is not a possibility consistent with how this was reported by Migowski et. al. (2004:Table 2). So, there is no Dead Sea Paleoseismic evidence for this earthquake. Considering the distance to the presumed epicenter near the Lebanese littoral, it is unlikely that such an earthquake would have formed seismites in the Dead Sea.
Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes

Eusebius' Martyr Quake

2 April (303 - 306 CE)

by Jefferson Williams

Introduction & Summary

Textual Evidence

Archaeoseismic Evidence

Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Notes

Paleoclimate - Droughts

References

Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes
Caesarea and Jisr al-Zakra	possible		Neither Reinhardt et. al. (2006) nor Goodman-Tchernov et. al. (2009) nor Goodman-Tchernov and Austin (2015) saw evidence of a tsunami in near shore shelf deposits of Caesarea around 304 CE. Salamon et. al. (2011) noted that a tsunami was reported in a number of earlier earthquake catalogs (e.g. Shalem, 1956, Ben-Menahem, 1991, Amiran et al., 1994) which several of the cataloguers (Shalem, 1956 and Amiran et al., 1994) viewed as doubtful - according to Salamon et al (2011). The alleged tsunami was likely generated from Eusebius' report of the sea casting up the body of the martyrdom of Apphian at the gates of Caesarea at the same time as the [Eusebius Martyr Quake] in Sidon. Salamon et al (2011) noted that a seismic sea wave is not specifically mentioned in Eusebius' text and it is common along the eastern Mediterranean coast, even in normal weather conditions, that the sea casts up dead bodies of drowned people at the shore.
Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes