Antioch earthquake
The Antioch earthquake, which struck on the evening of May 29, 526 CE, was a catastrophic event that devastated the city of Antioch, a significant center in the eastern Roman Empire. Following a period of vibrant Christian worship in the city, the earthquake caused numerous buildings to collapse, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 250,000 people from the initial shock, subsequent fires, and aftershocks. Eyewitness accounts describe scenes of chaos, with many attempting to escape to open spaces, while others were tragically trapped beneath debris. Notable figures, including religious leaders, perished, and miraculous rescues were reported, such as pregnant women delivering healthy babies after being buried for days.
In the aftermath, survivors faced additional dangers from robbers taking advantage of the chaos, while reports of divine retribution against these criminals circulated. The news of the disaster reached Emperor Justin I, who mourned the loss and prioritized the city’s restoration, sending officials to aid survivors and assess damage. Despite initial recovery efforts, Antioch suffered further setbacks, including a second earthquake and invasions, ultimately leading to a decline in its prominence. The tragedy of the Antioch earthquake remains a poignant chapter in the city's history, reflecting both the resilience of its people and the profound impacts of natural disasters on urban communities.
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Antioch earthquake
Earthquake
Date: May 29, 526
Place: Antioch, Syria (now Antakya, Turkey)
Magnitude: 9.0 (estimated)
Result: About 250,000 dead
Antioch was founded around 300 b.c.e. by the Syrian emperor Seleucus I. Rome captured Antioch in 25 b.c.e., making it into a colony called Caesarea Antiochia. Antioch quickly became a political center for Rome, and Saul of Tarsus (Saint Paul) selected it as the center of his mission in the Roman province of Galatia around 50 c.e. Antioch subsequently became an important, wealthy city of the eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, surrounded by olive plantations and home to a silk industry. Located on the Orontes River about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the northeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Antioch also prospered in trade.
Prominent in Christian worship during the sixth century was the feast of the Ascension, a celebration of Jesus Christ’s final rise into heaven that conventionally took place forty days after Easter. A holiday on the same scale as Easter or Christmas, Ascension came on May 30 in the year 526. Antioch, home to thousands of people, swelled with thousands of visitors who had come to worship in its many magnificent churches and to eat, drink, and celebrate in its many inns the night before Ascension.
On the evening of May 29, at a time when most of the people in Antioch were inside buildings, the earthquake struck. Many buildings collapsed or caved in instantly, killing thousands of people. To escape the crushing walls, many fled to marketplaces and other open spaces within the city. One such person was Patriarch Euphrasius, religious leader of Antioch, who reportedly fled to the open space of the Circus (a circular, outdoor arena), only to be killed by a falling obelisk. Bishop Asclepius of Edessa and other prominent members of the Christian Church were also killed.
Some buildings withstood the initial shock but were destroyed by great fires caused by the earthquake. Rain following the earthquake further weakened structures, causing them to collapse days later. John Malalas, an eyewitness to the earthquake, reported that Antioch’s Great Church, built under the direction of Constantine the Great, survived for five days after the earthquake, then caught fire and burned to the ground. According to eyewitness accounts, eventually the entire city was destroyed, except for a few buildings on the nearby slope of Mount Silpius. On Ascension Day, according to authors reporting from eyewitness accounts, the survivors gathered at the Church of the Kerateion for a service of Intercession, indicating that the region south of the inner city might have survived the initial damage. In all, an estimated 250,000 people were killed by the earthquake, fires, and aftershocks. Miraculous escapes from the crushing debris were reported. Pregnant women, who had been buried underneath the debris for twenty-one days, were excavated still alive and healthy. Some of these women had even given birth while buried but were still rescued in good condition. Another reported miracle occurred three days after the earthquake, on a Sunday. Above the northern part of the city, a vision of the Holy Cross appeared in the sky and hovered for more than an hour. The survivors of the earthquake who witnessed this vision reportedly fell to their knees, wept, and prayed. Mount Silpius, which stood underneath the manifestation, was thenceforth called Mount Staurin in its honor. (“Staurin” was colloquial Greek for “cross.”)
After the earthquake, many survivors gathered whatever possessions they could and fled the city. Many of these refugees were killed by people in the country. A number of robbers were reported entering the city to strip corpses of jewelry and other valuable goods and to gather up the gold and silver coins that the earthquake had scattered about. Accounts of this period tell of the robbers meeting divine justice after molesting corpses. One story tells of a Roman official called Thomas the Hebrew who, after the earthquake, stationed himself and his servants 3 miles away from Antioch at the Gate of Saint Julian. Thomas, with his band of obedient robbers, successfully gathered together a large amount of money and luxurious goods over a period of four days. Apparently healthy with no signs of ailment, Thomas then suddenly collapsed and died as a divine punishment for his bad deeds, and all that he had amassed was distributed among needy survivors.
News of the Antioch earthquake quickly reached Emperor Justin I (ruled 518-527) in Constantinople, the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. The emperor had served in Antioch during his military career and had fond memories of the city. He ordered the imperial court to wear mourning, and he suspended all public entertainments in Constantinople. On Pentecost, which is celebrated fifty days after Easter, Justin walked to the church of Saint Sophia in Constantinople in mourning. Rebuilding Antioch became his first priority. First, the emperor sent several government officials with large amounts of gold to seek out survivors and give them monetary relief. These officials were also ordered to assess the damage to Antioch and estimate how much money would be needed for restoration.
Once this was determined, the restoration began, although it was a slow process hindered by a second earthquake in November of 528. Residents of Antioch and nearby areas continued to emigrate from the region. Despite setbacks, Antioch was gifted by Emperor Justinian I (ruled 527-565) with several churches, a hospice, baths, and cisterns in celebration of his rise to emperor. After the second earthquake, he deemed the city free of taxation. Antioch had made little progress, however, when the Persians sacked the city in 540. In 542, remaining Antioch residents were hit by a devastating plague, thus destroying any hope of regaining the once-powerful city’s grandeur.
Bibliography
Downey, Glanville. A History of Antioch in Syria. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1961.
“Killer Quake at Antioch: A Stroke of Nature’s Fury Destroys a Brilliant Metropolis.” In Great Disasters: Dramatic True Stories of Nature’s Awesome Powers. Pleasantville, N.Y.: Readers Digest Association, 1989.