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Sibyl Quake

76 – 81 CE – probably between June 78 CE and June 79 CE

by Jefferson Williams








Introduction & Summary

Sibyl Quake Summary

Textual Evidence

Text (with hotlink) Original Language Religion Date of Composition Location Composed Notes
Dates from various authors for The Great Plague in Rome and the Earthquake in Cyprus Seutonius probably provides the most reliable date for the Great Plague in Rome and the Syballine Oracles may provide the most reliable date for the Earthquakes in Cyprus. Seutonius dates the Great Plague to the reign of Titus (24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE) and the Syballine Oracles appears to date the Earthquake in Cyprus to the reign of Titus (24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE).
Chronicon by Eusebius Greek translated to Latin by Jerome Christian Early 4th century CE Caesarea States that an earthquake destroyed 3 cities in Cyprus between 1 July 77 CE and 30 June 78 CE (the 1st year of 214th Olympiad). Says the earthquake struck in the same year as a great plague in Rome. Suetonius, likely the most reliable source for the date of the plague, says the plague in Rome occurred during the the reign of Titus - i.e., from 24 June 79 to 13 September 81 CE.
The Life of the Caesars by Suetonius Latin 121 CE Background info - Suetonius does not mention the earthquake but he does mention a plague in Rome during the reign of Titus who ruled from 24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE.
Epitome de Caesaribus attributed to Aurelius Victor Latin Likely a Pagan end of the 4th century CE Background info - Does not mention the earthquake. Mentions a plague in Rome during the reign of Titus who ruled from 24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE.
The Life of Apollonius of Tyana by Philostratus Greek between 217 and 238 CE likely Rome, possibly Athens Violent seismic shaking may have been reported in Tarsus some time in the 70s CE.
History Against the Pagans by Orosius Latin Christian ~416-417 CE Palestine and/or Gallaecia (northwest Hispania) and/or places between. States that an earthquake destroyed 3 cities in Cyprus and there was a plague in Rome during the 9th year of Vespasian's reign (1 July 77 and 30 June 78 CE). Suetonius, who is probably the most reliable source for the date of the Great Plague in Rome, dates the plague to the reign of Titus, Vespasian's son and successor, who ruled from 24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE.
Sibylline Oracles Greek Jewish or possibly a Jewish Christian. The final form of the book was likely finished in the 6th century CE. Presents what appears to be reliable ex eventu prophecy in poetic form. Says that an earthquake overthrew Salamis and Paphos on Cyprus and appears to date this to during the reign of Emperor Titus who ruled from 24 June 79 – 13 September 81 CE. Mention of dark water washing over Cyprus may be an allusion to an associated tsunami (or a storm). Because other sources mention that three cities in Cyprus were destroyed and Salamis and Paphos are at either end of the island, Ambraseys (2009) speculated that, if the Sibylline Oracles can be trusted, the third city that was destroyed was probably Citium.
The Chronicle of Georgius Syncellus Greek Orthodox (Byzantine rite) 808-810 CE ( Adler and Tuffin, 2002:lxx) Vicinity of Constantinople Mentions the Great Plague in Rome and that in Cyprus, three cities collapsed in an earthquake during the same year. Dates these to A.M.a 5564 (25 Mar. 71 to 24 Mar. 72 CE). Includes other historical markers in his account which are chronologically inconsistent with this date.
Chronography by Elias of Nisibis Syriac and Arabic Church of the East Early 11th c. Nusaybin, Turkey Elias of Nisibis, citing Eusebius, states that there was an earthquake in Cyprus where for three days there were collapses. Again citing Eusebius, he says that in the following year there was a plague in Rome such that more than 10,000 died in a day He supplied a range of dates.
Full Range of Dates for Earthquake in Cyprus and Plague in Rome
Date Range Event
1 July 73 - 30 June 77 CE Earthquake in Cyprus
1 July 73 to 30 Sept. 77 CE Plague in Rome
Opus Chronologicum by Calvisius Latin 1605 CE probably Leipzig, Germany very late source which cites Eusebius and states that an earthquake affected 3 cities in Cyprus. Among them was Salamis. Dates presented use a different method of reckoning the Anno Mundi calendar than I am familiar with and will not be explored here because this source adds no new information.
Transfer of the Roman Mint Amandry (1993) notes that the Mint which was moved to Cyprus in 76 CE was moved back to Antioch in 80 CE. He suggests an earthquake in 78 CE was the reason for the move back to Antioch noting that the scarcity of coins produced in the 10th year of Vespasian’s reign (78/79 CE), the absence of coins from the first year of Titus’ reign (79/80 CE), and the reappearance of coins in the next year of Titus’ reign (80/81 CE) was likely due to interrupted production after the earthquake. Vespasian's reign ended when he died on 24 June 79 CE. Based on Amandry (1993), this would place the earthquake sometime in the year prior to 24 June 79 CE (e.g., June 78 - June 79 CE). Antonopoulos (1980) and later Ambraseys (2009) provide a different less credible argument that the transfer of the mint supports a 76 CE date for the earthquake.
Antonopoulos (1980) Antonopoulos (1980) created an extensive writeup about this earthquake with numerous sources and what appears to be a flawed exegeses of the sources. This, in turn, appears to have directly influenced Ambraseys(2009) in his writeup about this earthquake.
Vita Hilarion by Jerome Latin Christian 390 CE Bethlehem No mention of the earthquake or plague in Rome despite Antonopoulos (1980:148 n.1) stating that it referred to both.
Chronicon Paschale Greek Christian about 630 CE possibly Constantinople Antonopoulos (1980:148 n.1) reported that Chronicon Paschale (p. 248D) contained a reference to this earthquake and the Great Plague in Rome. However, I cannot find anything in a Latin translation by Dindorf (1832) which refers to the earthquake or the plague. Perhaps, it's in the original Greek.
Text (with hotlink) Original Language Religion Date of Composition Location Composed Notes
Dates from various authors for The Great Plague in Rome and the Earthquake in Cyprus

Chronicon by Eusebius

The Life of the Caesars by Suetonius

Epitome de Caesaribus attributed to Aurelius Victor

The Life of Apollonius of Tyana by Philostratus

History Against the Pagans by Orosius

Sibylline Oracles

The Chronicle of Georgius Syncellus

Chronography by Elias of Nisibis

Opus Chronologicum by Calvisius

Transfer of the Roman Mint

Antonopoulos (1980)

Vita Hilarion by Jerome

Chronicon Paschale

Archaeoseismic Evidence

Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Paphos needs investigation
Kition needs investigation
Salamis needs investigation
Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Paphos



Kition



Salamis



Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Dead Sea - Seismite Types n/a n/a The table below shows projected PGA and Intensity at 3 Dead Sea Sites and 2 Araba sites for an earthquake in Cyprus with a Magnitude varying from 6.5-7.5. The estimated Intensity (IEst.) from seismic evidence at the sites whose ages were close to the Sybil Quake are also shown. Considering that Lu et al (2020a) estimated a minimum PGA of 0.13 g and Williams (2004) estimated a minimum PGA of 0.23 g to generate a seismite in the Dead Sea, it seems that the Sibyl Quake would have had to have been very powerful (M ≥ 7.5) to entertain the possibility of leaving a mark in the Dead Sea and would not have left a mark in the Araba under any conditions. A calculator is provided for experimentation.
Location Assumed Distance (km.) Range of Projected PGA's (g) Range of Projected Intensities IEst. from site
Dead Sea - En Feshka 380 0.05 - 0.13 4.4 - 6.1 7.9 - 8.8
Dead Sea - En Gedi 415 0.04 - 0.12 4.2 - 5.9 7.9 - 8.8
Dead Sea - Nahal Ze'elim 425 0.04 - 0.11 4.1 - 5.8 8.0 - 8.9
Araba - Taybeh Trench 520 0.03 - 0.08 4.5 - 5.2 ≥ 7
Araba - Qatar Trench 575 0.02 - 0.06 3.2 - 4.9 ≥ 7
Calculator
Seismic Attenuation

Variable Input Units Notes
Magnitude
km. Distance to earthquake producing fault
Variable Output - Site Effect not considered Units Notes
unitless
unitless Conversion from PGA to Intensity using Wald et al (1999)
  

Approximate distances to Cyprus

Sybil Quake
Location Approx. Distance
to Cyprus (km.)
En Feshka 380
En Gedi 415
Nahal Ze 'elim 425
Taybeh Trench 520
Qatar Trench 575

Dead Sea - En Feshka possible 7.9 - 8.8 Kagan et. al. (2011) identified a 1 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 338 cm. with modeled ages of 63 CE ± 38 (1σ) and 61 CE ± 81 (2σ) which they assigned to the Jerusalem Quake - a more likely candidate.
Dead Sea - En Gedi possible 7.9 - 8.8 Migowski et. al. (2004) assigned a 0.4 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 268.2 cm. (2.682 m) to a date of 76 CE.
Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim unlikely to possible 8.0 - 8.9 At site ZA-2, Kagan et al (2011) assigned a 4 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 470 cm. (Modeled Ages 1σ - 52 CE ± 40 and 2σ - 56 CE ± 76) to a date of 33 CE which in this case is shorthand for the Jerusalem Quake - a more likely candidate.
Araba - Introduction n/a n/a n/a
Araba - Taybeh Trench unlikely ≥ 7 LeFevre et al. (2018) identified a seismic event (E4) in the Taybeh trench with a modeled age of 111 CE ± 31 which was associated with the early 2nd century CE Incense Road Earthquake.
Araba - Qatar Trench unlikely ≥ 7 Klinger et. al. (2015) identified a seismic event (E6) in a trench near Qatar, Jordan in the Araba which they modeled between 9 BCE and 492 CE. The large spread in age caused them to consider two possible earthquakes as the cause; the early 2nd century CE Incense Road Quake and the southern Cyril Quake of 363 CE. They preferred the Cyril Quake of 363 CE based on weighing other evidence not related to their paleoseismic study and noted that further investigation was required.
Location (with hotlink) Status Intensity Notes
Dead Sea - Seismite Types



Dead Sea - En Feshka

Kagan et. al. (2011) identified a 1 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 338 cm. with modeled ages of 63 CE ± 38 (1σ) and 61 CE ± 81 (2σ) which they assigned to the Jerusalem Quake - a more likely candidate.



Dead Sea - En Gedi

Migowski et. al. (2004) assigned a 0.4 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 268.2 cm. (2.682 m) to a date of 76 CE.



Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim

At site ZA-2, Kagan et al (2011) assigned a 4 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 470 cm. (Modeled Ages 1σ - 52 CE ± 40 and 2σ - 56 CE ± 76) to a date of 33 CE which in this case is shorthand for the Jerusalem Quake - a more likely candidate.



Araba - Introduction



Araba - Taybeh Trench

LeFevre et al. (2018) identified a seismic event (E4) in the Taybeh trench with a modeled age of 111 CE ± 31 which was associated with the early 2nd century CE Incense Road Earthquake.



Araba - Qatar Trench

Klinger et. al. (2015) identified a seismic event (E6) in a trench near Qatar, Jordan in the Araba which they modeled between 9 BCE and 492 CE. The large spread in age caused them to consider two possible earthquakes as the cause; the early 2nd century CE Incense Road Quake and the southern Cyril Quake of 363 CE. They preferred the Cyril Quake of 363 CE based on weighing other evidence not related to their paleoseismic study and noted that further investigation was required.



Notes

Ambraseys (2009)

AD 76 Cyprus

An earthquake destroyed three cities in Cyprus: probably Salamis, Paphos and Citium. The shock, which was felt in Antioch at about the same time and caused considerable concern, was perhaps the same event.

Damage in Cyprus was so severe that Rome transferred its mint to the island as a relief measure.

Many chroniclers record this earthquake. Saint Jerome writes that in Ol.CCXIX.9 (77) ‘in Cyprus three cities collapsed in an earthquake’, dating it to the seventh year of the Emperor Vespasian’s reign, which began on 21 December AD 75. Eusebius says the same. Orosius synchronizes the earthquake with the Roman plague of AD 77/78. Others even try to tie it in with the eruption of Vesuvius in the reign of Titus.

The decisive factor in dating this earthquake to AD 76 is the fact that the Roman mint was transferred to Cyprus in this year, the first coins being struck in July (Hill 1940, 234). Clearly this was a measure taken to bring relief to the island, helping to pay for repairs: if the earthquake had not occurred until AD 77, the motive for transferring the mint a year earlier would be quite obscure.

According to the Sibylline Oracles, ‘then indeed an earthquake will destroy Salamis together with Paphos, when dark [waves of] water should beat down on famous Cyprus’, which could refer to this event.

Although the Oracles are supposedly prophetic texts, they were compiled between the fourth century BC and the third or fourth century AD, first by Jewish and then by Christian writers, and became a kind of chronicle, since events were inserted after they had actually happened. If the Oracles are indeed referring to this event when they mention the destruction of Paphos and Salamis, then the identity of two of the cities destroyed is known; the third has, however, still to be identified. Because Paphos and Salamis are at opposite ends of Cyprus, it must have been a city in between the two, probably Citium.

Finally, the record of the earthquake in Antioch comes from Philostratus. It apparently frightened the population, who were in dispute with each other at the time, but did no damage.One can deduce from other passages in Philostratus’s account that Apollonius was near Cyprus in AD 76 (Philostr. VA VI. 34, VI. 42), thus there is a possibility that, if the account of this earthquake is not fictitious, it may be the same as the Cyprus earthquake of AD 76,Antioch being near the island.

It is probable that this earthquake was associated with a seismic sea wave at Salamis and Paphos but it is not certain whether this was the result of this or of another earthquake (Terry 1890, 120–121).

Notes

‘Ol.CCIX.9: Three cities in Cyprus collapsed in an earthquake.’ (Hieron. Hist.188).


‘Ol.CCXIV.8/a.A.2092: In Cyprus three cities collapsed in an earthquake.’ (Eus. Hist.158).


‘a.M. 5564/div.Inc.64: In Cyprus three cities collapsed in an earthquake.’ (Georg. Sync.342/647).


‘But in the ninth year of his reign three cities in Cyprus collapsed and there was a great plague at Rome.’ (Oros. VII. ix. 11).


‘And then an earthquake will destroy Salamis together with Paphos, when black water floods renowned Cyprus.’ (Orac. Sibyll. IV. 125).


‘The ruler of Syria had plunged Antioch into a feud, by disseminating among the citizens suspicions such that when they met in assembly they all quarrelled with one another. But a violent earthquake happening to occur, they were all cowering, and as is usual in the case of heavenly portents, praying for one another.’ (Philostr. VA VI. 38/LCL. ii. 130).

References

Ambraseys, N. N. (2009). Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East: a multidisciplinary study of seismicity up to 1900.

Guidoboni et al (1994)

(101) 77 Cyprus sources 1

sources 2 catalogues This earthquake is recorded in late but reliable sources. The Chronicon of Eusebius records that an earthquake struck Cyprus:
"Three towns in Cyprus were reduced to ruins by an earthquake".

Tres civitates Cypri terrae motu conruerunt.
Paulus Orosius writes:
"In the ninth year of the reign [of Vespasian], three towns in Cyprus were reduced to ruins in an earthquake, and there was a great plague in Rome".

Nono autem imperii eius anno tres civitates Cypri terrae motu corruerunt et Romae magna pestilentia fuit.
References

Guidoboni, E., et al. (1994). Catalogue of Ancient Earthquakes in the Mediterranean Area up to the 10th Century. Rome, Istituto nazionale di geofisica.

Antonopoulos (1980)

Although he did not cite him, Ambraseys (2009) catalog entry appears to be largely derived and sometimes directly quoted from Antonopoulos (1980:148-150). Ambraseys (2009) included Antonopoulos' (1980:148-150) apparently flawed analysis for dating the earthquake based on moving of the Roman Mint. In his acknowledgments, Antonopoulos' (1980:157) noted that he had been much assisted by Professor N. Ambraseys of the Imperial College — University of London with whose invaluable help, he (Antonopoulos) could not have carried out his work. Thus, it is entirely possible that this section of Antonopoulos (1980) was authored or co-authored by N.N. Ambraseys. Antonopoulos (1980:148-150) entry, which includes a wealth of valuable references, is quoted in its entirety below.

3. 76* AD. Cyprus. Cition, Paphos and Salamis.

References
  • 39 (p. 139) - OBERHUMMER, E., 1903. - Die Insel Cypem. Eine Landeskunde auf Historischer Grundlage. Ed. Th. Ackermann, München.

  • 44 (p. 775) - SIEBERG, A., 1932. - Die Erdbeben. In B. Gutenberg's Handbuch der Geophysik, vol. 4, Berlin, Ed. G. Borntraeger.

  • 15 (vii) - HIERONYMOS.

  • 18 (P. 342) - SYNCELLOS.

  • 20 (P. 277) - EUSEBIOS, PAMPHILIOS, c. 330 A.D. - Armenian Text: in C. Coenobi's « Chronicon », Ed. Aaronis, Venice, 1868.

  • 14 (P. 54) - ELIAS NISIBINOS.

  • 22 (vii, 9.11) - OROSIUS, PAULUS, 416 A.D. - Historiae adversum paganos libri vii. In C. Zangenmeister's Edition, Ausburg 1570; also in BSGR, PCCL, and in « King Alfred's Anglo-Saron version of the history by Orosius », translated by J. Bosworth, Longman's Edition, London 1859.

  • 30 (p. 459) - BURSIAN, C., 1862. - Geograplie von Griechenland. Ed. Teubner, 2, p. 522, Leipzig.

  • 9 (P. 248) - CEDRINOS - Chronicon Paschale.

A disastrous earthquake occurred in Cyprus in 76 or 77 AD. This earthquake is generally dated together with a pestilence in Rome, in 77 AD, but early chroniclers differ in it slightly1. We are inclined to think rather of 76 AD as the year for this earthquake because this was the year at which the Romans transferred their mint to Cyprus and the first coins minted there are dated July 76, August 77 and September 78 (Hill 1940, p. 234). It is not improbable that this transfer of the mint was connected with the measures taken to relieve the island after the earthquake which is generally dated 767 AD but may have taken place a year earlier. Some few early chroniclers may have put the earthquake in 77 AD in order to synchronise it with the pestilence in Rome.

The facts about the particular places in Cyprus which were destroyed by this earthquake and the seismic sea-wave which is supposed to have accompanied this earthquake, are very obscure. If we trust the allusion in the Sibyllina Oracula (lib. iv, lines 125, 126, 140, 141), the places in Cyprus which suffered most should have been Salamis, Paphos and Cition, but it is questionable whether these places suffered from the 76 AD earthquake or from a later shock. It seams probable, from the slight indications, mostly inferences from statements at a later date, that, with the possible exception of Cition, Salamis and Paphos should have been damaged to some extent by the 76 AD earthquake. The chroniclers were evidently not quite certain of the particular places in Cyprus which were damaged by this earthquake.

The Sibyllina Oracula prophesies also a destructive seismic sea-wave (lib. iv, lines 126, 140; lib. v, lines 450-453; lib. vii, line 5). This prophesy constitutes the sole authority upon which Oberhummer (1903, p. 139)2 and after him many authors have based their arguments for the 76 AD seismic sea-wave in Cyprus. But we find no mention of such an event in the narrations of early chroniclers3, and we feel that should an event such as a catastrophic seismic sea-wave had in fact accompanied this earthquake, it should have been most certainly included by these chroniclers in their description of the seismic events of 76 AD.

Whether, in this instance, the Sibyllina Oracula can be trusted as a source of authentic historical information, and if so, whether the seismic sea-wave in Cyprus which is mentioned in the text refers to the earthquake of 76 AD, all yet remains to be investigated. No other data worthy of any confidence has come to our attention.
Footnotes

1 Hieronymos (Vita Hilarion, § 7), Svngelos (p. 342), St. Jerome, Chron. Paschale (p. 248D), Orosius (lib. vii, § 9.11), Calvisius (p. 459) place the pestilence in Rome and the earthquake in Cyprus in 77 AD, Eusebios (Armenian Text, Chron. p. 277) and Elias Nisibinus (Chron. transl. by De-laporte, p. 54) place the pestilence in this year but the earthquake between July 75 and July 76 AD. Suetonius (Titus ch. 8) and Victor (Epit. p. 367) refer this to the reign of Titus.

2 The Greek text of the Oracle (lib. iv, lines 140, 141) which appears in Obernummer's work (p. 139, lines 10 and 11) should read:

Aι. αι, Κυπ[ς]ε ταλαινα σε δε πλατυ χυυιια θαλασσης line 140
ριψει, χειμεριησιν ανα[ςς]ιφθεισαν αεληαιζ line 141

(= Alas suffering Cyprus, you shall be laid waste by the broad whirling waves of the sea which are tossed up in the winter) and not

Aι. αι, Κυπ[ς]ε τααλινα σε δε πλατυ χυιια θαλασσης
χρνψει, χειμεριησιν ανα[ςς]ιφθεισαν αελλαιζ

(= Alas suffering Cyprus, the broad waves of the sea which are tossed up whirling in the winter will cover over you).

3 The difference is very important wince now this oracle does not seem to refer to a seismic sea-wave, but rather to one of the hurricanes which are known to have burst over the island during its early history Casola (1498), Anonymous (1546 a,b) Lusignan (1580) and others.

Also Oberhummer's standard pagination of the oracles is throughout by three lines too high.

References

ANTONOPOULOS, J. (1980) “D”., Annals of Geophysics, 33(1), pp. 141–161.

Oberhummer (1903)

English

77 AD

  • Eus. chron. Arm. Ol. 214, 1 Vesp. 8: Cipri insulae III civitates terrae motu corruerunt

  • Hieron. Ol. 214, 1 Vesp. 9 : Tres civitates Cypri terrae motu corruerunt

  • Georg. Syncell. I 647 Bonn: 'Ev Kúпqq τρεις πόλεις σεισμῷ κατεπτώθησαν.4a

  • Oros. VII 9, 11 : Nono autem imperii eius5 anno tres civitates Cypri terrae motu corruerunt.

  • Ebenso Hist. misc. IX 6

  • Hermann. Contr. chron. a. 79

  • Marian. Scot. chron. a. 831

  • Otto Fris. chron. III 18

This is the case with this event reported in the chronographs. It is almost certain that the following passage from the Syballine Oracles also mentions this event. Sibyl. IV 128 s2:
Καὶ τότε δὴ Σαλαμίνα Πάφον [θ]᾽ἅμα σεισμὸς ὀλέσει,
Κύπρον δι᾽ ἂν πολύχλυστον ὑπερκλονέῃ μέλαν ὕδωρ,
ibid. 143 s.:
Αϊ αϊ, Κύπρε τάλαινα, σὲ δὲ πλατὺ κῦμα θαλάσσης
κρύψει, χειμερίησιν ἀναρριφ[θ]εῖσαν ἀέλλαις,
and Cramer, Anecd. Gr. Paris. I 334:
Αϊ αϊ, Κύπρε τάλαινα, σὲ δὲ μέγα χῦμα χαλύψει
ἥμασι χειμερίῃσιν ὀρινομένη τε [θ]άλασσα.
We learn the names from the first oracle of two of the three cities, which according to the chronographs were destroyed by that earthquake, namely Salamis and Paphos; the third seems to be Kition based on one I published Consecration inscription3. By the way, do not take the third city too seriously; certainly more cities were affected, but only three of the most distinguished [or well known] cities, in which the effects of the earthquake were probably particularly noticeable, were emphatically highlighted. Furthermore, we learn from the second, Prophecy handed down in a double version that C. [Cyprus ?] was also devastated by a massive earthquake flood at the same time. It remains to be seen whether this is related to the events of the year 77 or is to be associated with a somewhat later event4b.
Footnotes

4a S. Euseb. chron. ed. Schoene II 158 s.

5 Of Vespasian.

1 What Gaudry Mém. 235 and following him Unger 61 wrote about a report. These chroniclers speak of a volcanic eruption on C. [Cyprus ?] which is based on confusion [conflation] with the well-known large eruption of Vesuvius (Mons Vespius at Mar. Sc.) during the reign of Emperor Titus.

2 See Friedlieb S. XLI f. his edition and , because of the time of composition, Bernhardy II 1 446 and Christ. 584.

3 Sitzungsber. d. K. bay. Ak. d. Wiss. 1888 S. 309f.

4b Both prophecies are based on a description of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, separated from Antioch u. C. (Skyros? V. 142) due to warlike devastation

German

77 n. Ch.

  • Eus. chron. Arm. Ol. 214, 1 Vesp. 8: Cipri insulae III civitates terrae motu corruerunt

  • Hieron. Ol. 214, 1 Vesp. 9 : Tres civitates Cypri terrae motu corruerunt

  • Georg. Syncell. I 647 Bonn: 'Ev Kúпqq τρεις πόλεις σεισμῷ κατεπτώθησαν.4a

  • Oros. VII 9, 11 : Nono autem imperii eius5 anno tres civitates Cypri terrae motu corruerunt.

  • Ebenso Hist. misc. IX 6

  • Hermann. Contr. chron. a. 79

  • Marian. Scot. chron. a. 831

  • Otto Fris. chron. III 18

Auf dieses von den Chronographen berichtete Ereignis ist so gut wie sicher auch folgende Stelle der Orac. Sibyll. IV 128 s. zu beziehen2:
Καὶ τότε δὴ Σαλαμίνα Πάφον [θ]᾽ἅμα σεισμὸς ὀλέσει,
Κύπρον δι᾽ ἂν πολύχλυστον ὑπερκλονέῃ μέλαν ὕδωρ,
dazu ib. 143 s.:
Αϊ αϊ, Κύπρε τάλαινα, σὲ δὲ πλατὺ κῦμα θαλάσσης
κρύψει, χειμερίησιν ἀναρριφ[θ]εῖσαν ἀέλλαις,
und Cramer, Anecd. Gr. Paris. I 334:
Αϊ αϊ, Κύπρε τάλαινα, σὲ δὲ μέγα χῦμα χαλύψει
ἥμασι χειμερίῃσιν ὀρινομένη τε [θ]άλασσα.
Wir erfahren aus dem ersten Orakel zunächst die Namen zweier von den drei Städten, welche nach den Chronographen durch jenes Erdbeben zerstört wurden , nemlich Salamis und Paphos; die dritte scheint nach einer von mir herausgegebenen Weihinschrift Kition zu sein3. Man wird übrigens die Zahl drei nicht allzugenau nehmen dürfen; gewiss wurden noch mehr Städte in Mitleidenschaft gezogen, aber nur drei der vornehmsten, in denen wohl die Wirkungen des Erdbebens besonders fühlbar waren, aus drücklich hervorgehoben. Weiterhin erfahren wir aus der zweiten, in doppelter Fassung überlieferten Weissagung, dass C. damals auch durch eine gewaltige Erdbebenflut verwüstet wurde; es bleibt dahin gestellt , ob dieselbe mit den Vorgängen des J. 77 oder einem etwas späteren Ereignis in Zusammenhang zu bringen ist4b.
Footnotes

4a S. Euseb. chron. ed. Schoene II 158 s.

5 Des Vespasianus.

1 Was Gaudry Mém. 235 u. ihm folgend Unger 61 über einen Bericht dieses Chronisten von einem vulkanischen Ausbruch auf C. sagen , beruht auf einer Verwechslung mit dem bekannten grossen Ausbruch des Vesuv (Mons Vespius bei Mar. Sc.) unter Kaiser Titus.

2 Vgl. hiezu Friedlieb S. XLI f. seiner Ausg. u. , wegen der Abfassungszeit, Bernhardy II 1 446 u. Christ. 584.

3 Sitzungsber. d. K. bay. Ak. d. Wiss. 1888 S. 309f.

4b sind beide Weissagungen durch Schilderung des Vesuvausbruches vom J. 79 u, kriegerischer Verwüstung von Antiochia u. C. (Skyros ? V. 142) getrennt,

References

Oberhummer, E. (1903:138-139). Die Insel Cypern: eine Landeskunde auf historischer Grundlage. Germany: T. Ackermann. - open access at google books

Paleoclimate - Droughts

References