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Sieberg Quake

[117 BCE]

by Jefferson Williams








Introduction & Summary

Sieberg (1932a:16), without citing a source, reports that a big earthquake struck Judea in 117 BCE followed by aftershocks lasting at least a month. His brief catalog entry is shown below.
English from Sieberg (1932a)

117 BC - In Judea a big earthquake followed by aftershocks lasting at least a month.

German from Sieberg (1932a)

117 v. Chr. In Judaa groses Erdbeben mit zahlreichen Nachstosen nahrend mindestens eines Monats.

Textual Evidence

Archeoseismic Evidence

Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

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Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Bet Zayda unlikely to possible ≥ 7 Wechsler at al. (2014) records event CH4-E6 with a modeled age of 392 BCE – 91 CE.
Dead Sea - Seismite Types n/a n/a n/a
Dead Sea - En Feshkapossible 7.9 - 8.8 Kagan et al (2011) identified several seismites whose time windows encompass 117 BCE.
Depth (cm.) Thickness (cm.) Seismite Type Modeled Age (± 1σ) Modeled Age (± 2σ) Quake Assignment (Kagan) Quake Assignment (Williams)
377 less than 1 4 (microbreccia) 69 BCE ± 28 67 BCE ± 65 64 BCE Pig on the Wall Quake not assigned
377.8 less than 1 4 (microbreccia) 72 BCE ± 30 70 BCE ± 64 not assigned not assigned
387 l 4 101 BCE ± 25 100 BCE ± 61 92 BCE Seventeenth of Adar Quake not assigned
393 l 4 121 BCE ± 25 119 BCE ± 58 mid 2nd century BCE possibly ~150 BCE southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake
402 l.5 4 151 BCE ± 21 150 BCE ± 55 mid 2nd century BCE possibly ~150 BCE southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake
Dead Sea - En Gedi unlikely Migowski et. al. (2004) did not date any seismites to 117 BCE.
Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim possible 8.2 - 8.9 At site ZA-2, Kagan et al (2011) observed a 8 cm. thick Type 4 intraclast breccia seismite at a depth of 516 cm. with modeled ages of 103 BCE ± 37 (1σ) and 103 BCE ± 75 (2σ). They did not assign this seismite to any earthquake and suggested it struck in the middle of the 2nd century BCE. It may have formed during the southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake.
Araba - Introduction n/a n/a n/a
Araba - Taybeh Trench unlikely to possible ≥ 7 LeFevre et al. (2018) dated an earthquake Event (E6) to between 160 BC and 117 BC.
Araba - Qatar Trench unlikely ≥ 7 Klinger et. al. (2015) did not observe any seismic events whose time window encompassed 117 BCE.
Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Bet Zayda (aka Beteiha)

Wechsler at al. (2014) records event CH4-E6 with a modeled age of 392 BCE – 91 CE.



Dead Sea - Seismite Types



Dead Sea - En Feshka

Kagan et al (2011) identified several seismites whose time windows encompass 117 BCE.

Depth (cm.) Thickness (cm.) Seismite Type Modeled Age (± 1σ) Modeled Age (± 2σ) Quake Assignment (Kagan) Quake Assignment (Williams)
377 less than 1 4 (microbreccia) 69 BCE ± 28 67 BCE ± 65 64 BCE Pig on the Wall Quake not assigned
377.8 less than 1 4 (microbreccia) 72 BCE ± 30 70 BCE ± 64 not assigned not assigned
387 l 4 101 BCE ± 25 100 BCE ± 61 92 BCE Seventeenth of Adar Quake not assigned
393 l 4 121 BCE ± 25 119 BCE ± 58 mid 2nd century BCE possibly ~150 BCE southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake
402 l.5 4 151 BCE ± 21 150 BCE ± 55 mid 2nd century BCE possibly ~150 BCE southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake


Dead Sea - En Gedi

Migowski et. al. (2004) did not date any seismites to 117 BCE.



Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim

At site ZA-2, Kagan et al (2011) observed a 8 cm. thick Type 4 intraclast breccia seismite at a depth of 516 cm. with modeled ages of 103 BCE ± 37 (1σ) and 103 BCE ± 75 (2σ). They did not assign this seismite to any earthquake and suggested it struck in the middle of the 2nd century BCE. It may have formed during the southern Dead Fish and Soldiers Quake.



Araba - Introduction



Araba - Taybeh Trench

LeFevre et al. (2018) dated an earthquake Event (E6) to between 160 BC and 117 BC.



Araba - Qatar Trench

Klinger et. al. (2015) did not observe any seismic events whose time window encompassed 117 BCE.



Notes

Paleoclimate - Droughts

References