| 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.
|
