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Atarib

Possible location of Atarib Citadel (القلعة - al qalat)

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Names
Transliterated Name Source Name
Atarib, Atharib, Athareb Arabic أتارب
Al-Atarib Arabic
Cerep(um), Cereph, Cerez Crusader
Introduction
Introduction

Atarib was fought over and exchanged hands several times during Crusader times until it was devastated by the 1138 CE Aleppo Earthquake.

Aerial Views
Aerial Views

Aerial Views

  • Atarib in Google Earth
    Atarib

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  • Possible location of Atarib
    Possible location of Atarib Citadel (القلعة - al qalat)

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    Citadel in Google Earth

Textual Chronology
1114 CE Marash Quake

Discussion

Discussion

1138 CE Aleppo Quake

Discussion

Discussion

Textual Seismic Effects
1114 CE Marash Quake

Effect                                                                Location Image(s) Description
  • completely destroyed (collapsed walls)
 Atarib
  • "During the night of Sunday 28th of latter Jumada of 508 [27 November 1114], a terrible earthquake laid waste the districts of Aleppo, Harran, Antioch, Mar’ash and the Syrian borders. ... other places, like el-Athareb and Zerdanah, were almost completely destroyed." - Walter the Chancellor

  • "there was an immense and terrible earthquake in Antioch and its region. ... What of al-Atharib? What of the other Antiochene lands? A comparable torment was imagined happening in quite disparate places. " - Kemal ad-Din (aka Ibn Al-Adim)

1138 CE Aleppo Quake

Effect                                                                Location Image(s) Description
  • Atarib overturned (collapsed walls)
  • Citadel Collapsed (collapsed walls)
  • Fatalities (due to collapsed walls)
 Atarib
  • "The chronicles record that the citadel of Al-Atharib was taken by 'Imad al-Din Atabik [the Seljukid governor of Mawsil] on Friday 1 Safar [9 October 1138], and they report a strong earthquake in Syria during the night of Friday 8 Safar [15 October]" - Ibn al‑Qalanisi

  • "Also Tarib [probably Atarib according to translator Harrak, 2019] was also overturned in this tremor and the Church of Harim collapsed." - Michael the Syrian

  • "The powerful citadel of Atarib sank into the earth as if it had never existed" - Chronicon Ad Annum 1234

  • " The citadel of al-Atharib collapsed, killing 600 Muslims, but the governor [Emad ad-Din] survived with a few [other] men." - Kemal ad-Din (aka Ibn Al-Adim)

Textual Intensity Estimates
1114 CE Marash Quake

Effect                                                                Location Image(s) Description Intensity
  • completely destroyed (collapsed walls)
 Atarib
  • "During the night of Sunday 28th of latter Jumada of 508 [27 November 1114], a terrible earthquake laid waste the districts of Aleppo, Harran, Antioch, Mar’ash and the Syrian borders. ... other places, like el-Athareb and Zerdanah, were almost completely destroyed." - Walter the Chancellor

  • "there was an immense and terrible earthquake in Antioch and its region. ... What of al-Atharib? What of the other Antiochene lands? A comparable torment was imagined happening in quite disparate places. " - Kemal ad-Din (aka Ibn Al-Adim)
  • VIII+
This evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

1138 CE Aleppo Quake

Effect                                                                Location Image(s) Description Intensity
  • Atarib overturned (collapsed walls)
  • Citadel Collapsed (collapsed walls)
  • Fatalities (due to collapsed walls)
 Atarib
  • "The chronicles record that the citadel of Al-Atharib was taken by 'Imad al-Din Atabik [the Seljukid governor of Mawsil] on Friday 1 Safar [9 October 1138], and they report a strong earthquake in Syria during the night of Friday 8 Safar [15 October]" - Ibn al‑Qalanisi

  • "Also Tarib [probably Atarib according to translator Harrak, 2019] was also overturned in this tremor and the Church of Harim collapsed." - Michael the Syrian

  • "The powerful citadel of Atarib sank into the earth as if it had never existed" - Chronicon Ad Annum 1234

  • " The citadel of al-Atharib collapsed, killing 600 Muslims, but the governor [Emad ad-Din] survived with a few [other] men." - Kemal ad-Din (aka Ibn Al-Adim)
  • VIII+
  • VIII+
  • VIII+
This evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

Notes and Further Reading
References

Articles and Books

Runciman (1951) History of the Crusades Vol 2 - open access at archive.org

Venning, Timothy (2015). A Chronology of the Crusades. Routledge

Websites

Atarib at CHASTEL database

Wikipedia pages

Atarib