Inscription at Areopolis Quake

Kehrberg-Ostrasz and Manley (2019:21) found a tumble layer along Jerash's City Walls which Kehrberg-Ostrasz in Savage et al (2003:458) attributed to probable seismic destruction and dated to the 6th century CE.

The upper layers consisted of mixed soil with residual contemporary and Late Islamic pottery and glass sherds, as well as charred bones and other debris, clearly indicating a gradual accumulation of rubbish. This rubbish tip rested on neat rows of courses of the wall, which had fallen face down onto the western rocky slope already littered with residual rubbish. The pottery and glass under this tumbled wall section showed that the collapse must have occurred during the Late Byzantine period, probably the result of an earthquake that was responsible for the destruction of other city buildings in the sixth century.

Archeoseismic evidence for the Stratum 9 earthquake is debated - Following the stratigraphy listed by Mitchel (1980:9), Storfjell (1993:113) noted archaeoseismic evidence which he dated to 500-525 CE.

There is scattered evidence for a destruction, probably caused by an earthquake. This evidence comes from Area C, and Probes G.11 and G.16. If there was evidence of destruction in Area A, it would have been removed in the subsequent reconstruction and enlargement of the church. The ceramic evidence suggests that the destruction occurred in the Late Byzantine period. Placement in the overall stratigraphic sequence would suggest a destruction date in the first quarter of the sixth century for Stratum 9.

Storfjell (1993:110) discussed dating of Stratum 9 as follows:

The evidence is not precise enough to specify with certainty the exact dates for Stratum 9, although the ceramic horizon is predominantly Early Byzantine (ca. AD 408-527). It is this period that first reveals the Christian presence at Tell Hesban.

The Christian presence was apparently the construction of a Christian church on the remains of the Roman Temple possibly damaged by an earthquake in the 4th century CE. This church was apparently rebuilt in Stratum 8 which has a terminus ante quem of 614 CE according to Storfjell (1993:113). Sauer (1993:259), in the same publication, disputes the early 6th century earthquake evidence at Tall Hisban stating that thus far, there is no earthquake evidence at Hesban in this period.

The later phase (ca. 530-51) of Stratum III began with the demobilization of the legion ca. 530, as suggested by a passage in Procopius (Anecdota 24.12-14). It is notable that the latest closely dateable Byzantine coins from el-Lejjun are issues of Justinian I, dated 534-65, exactly what one would expect if Procopius' assertion were true. Some structures like the principia, were completely abandoned. Others, like the church, were extensively robbed. Large amounts of trash were dumped in barrack alleyways and even in major thoroughfares, such as the via praetoria. In Area N the rooms rebuilt rebuilt after 502 afterward witnessed little actual occupation. It is especially telling that a human corpse was interred in one room (N.2) that opened directly onto the via principalis a clear sign of the absence of military discipline.

Some inhabitants, perhaps discharged soldiers and their families or civilians from the surrounding countryside, continued to live within the fortress, however. The discovery of a human infant within the northwest angle tower in the debris of the earthquake of July 9, 551, implies that families were now living in the fortifications. The earthquake of 551 was a major catastrophe.

The numismatic finds and demobilization evidence described above provide a terminus post quem of ~530 CE for seismic destruction and final abandonment of the fortress at el-Lejjun. A terminus ante quem is not so well defined because after the 3rd earthquake, there is a Post Stratum Gap that lasted until 1900 CE. Parker (2006:121) notes that there is some evidence of camping and limited reoccupation of the domestic complex near the north gate in the Umayyad period (661-750 CE). Sherds and coins of Ayyubid/Mamluk (1174-1516) and Ottoman periods [also] attest [to] occasional later use of the fortress. Because Groot et al (2006:183) report discovery of a nearly complete Umayyad Lamp in Square 4 of Area B (Barracks) in the Post Stratum Gap, the Umayyad period (661 - 750 CE) is the terminus ante quem for this earthquake and the date for this earthquake is constrained to ~530 - 750 CE. deVries et al (2006:196) also found Umayyad sherds in the Post Stratum Gap in Rooms C.3, C.4, C.6, and C.7 of the northwest Angle Tower along with an Umayyad coin dated to 700-750 CE in locus C.4.018.

Although Parker (2006) attributed the 3rd earthquake to the 551 CE Beirut Quake, this is highly unlikely as the epicenter was far away - near Beirut. One of the sources for the 551 CE Beirut Quake (The Life of Symeon of the Wondrous Mountain) states that damage was limited south of Tyre and there are no reports of earthquake destruction in Jerusalem which is 121 km. closer to the epicenter than el-Lejjun. The most likely candidate for this earthquake is the Inscription at Areopolis Quake which struck Areopolis - a mere ~12 km. from el-Lejjun - in the late 6th century - before 597 CE.

Potential earthquake destruction layers were identified at the Castellum of Khirbet el-Fityan but there was insufficient dating evidence to make positive identifications. There was a complete absence of Late Byzantine (i.e. sixth century) pottery from [excavations at] the site ( Richard and Parker, 1987). Thus, there was no dateable evidence for the late 6th century Inscription at Areopolis Quake. Above Early Byzantine occupation layers were some tumbled stones but these were not dated and whether they were created by seismic events or intrusive activities such as stone robbing was not ascertained. Richard and Parker (1987) suggest that the Castellum of Khirbet el-Fitnan was abandoned by the end of the fifth century, at least a half century before the legionary fortress [at el-Lejjun]. They also mention the possibility that Late Byzantine stratification was destroyed by the Late Ottoman occupation.

Jones (2021) argues that al-Zantur I Spatromisch II ceramics, rather than dating from 363 CE - 419 CE, should date to at least a century later. If true, this would negate archaeoseismic evidence for an earthquake reported in 419 CE (i.e. the Monaxius and Plinta Quake) at ez-Zantur and other sites in Petra such as in a structure outside the Urn Tomb, and in Structure I of the NEPP Project. Jones (2021) suggests instead that the causitive earthquake was more likely the late 6th century CE Inscription At Areopolis Quake. Jones (2021) provides a discussion below:

Within Petra, the 418/419 earthquake has been suggested as the cause for the destruction of three structures:

• al-Zantur I, specifically the end of Bauphase Spatromisch II
• one of the structures outside of the Urn Tomb, House II
• North-Eastern Petra Project (NEPP) Structure I

At the Urn Tomb, a 363 earthquake destruction has been suggested for a cave below the tomb (Zayadine 1974: 138) as well as House II, which was partially rebuilt afterwards and by the 6th century was being `used as a quarry' (Zeitler 1993: 256-57). Taking this quarrying as evidence for a 5th century abandonment of House II, Kolb (2000: 230; 2007: 154-55) suggests a second destruction in the 418/419 earthquake, primarily based on analogy to al-Zantur I. As only a preliminary report has appeared for House II, it is not possible to evaluate the archaeological evidence for this attribution, but a 5th century abandonment of House II may instead be related to the modification of the Urn Tomb for use as a church in 446 (Bikai 2002: 271).

Fiema and Schmid (2014:429-430) suggest that Structure 1 in the NEPP area was destroyed by the 363 earthquake, but later restored although in much altered form and appearance with final destruction and abandonment taking place afterwards, perhaps sometime in the early 5th century. They suggest final destruction and abandonment may have been due to the Monaxius and Plinta Quake of 419 CE. Jones (2021) argues that al-Zantur I Spatromisch II ceramics, rather than dating from 363 CE - 419 CE, should date to at least a century later. If true, this would negate archaeoseismic evidence for an earthquake reported in 419 CE (i.e. the Monaxius and Plinta Quake) at ez-Zantur and other sites in Petra such as in a structure outside the Urn Tomb, and in Structure I of the NEPP Project. Jones (2021) suggests instead that the causitive earthquake was more likely the late 6th century CE Inscription At Areopolis Quake. Jones (2021) provides a discussion below:

Within Petra, the 418/419 earthquake has been suggested as the cause for the destruction of three structures:

• al-Zantur I, specifically the end of Bauphase Spatromisch II
• one of the structures outside of the Urn Tomb, House II
• North-Eastern Petra Project (NEPP) Structure I

NEPP Structure I has not been excavated, and the claim that it was destroyed in the 418/419 earthquake is based on surface finds and reference to al-Zantur I (Fiema and Schmid 2014: 431). Without excavation, the actual date and nature of the building's destruction remain uncertain. The claim for damage at Petra related to the 418/419 earthquake rests primarily, therefore, on the evidence from al-Zantur I.

Mikkola et al (2008) discussed this event at various parts of their report as follows:

• This phase represents a catastrophic event that caused the first major destruction of the site. Judging by the totality of the damage, a major seismic event seems to be the most likely explanation for the destruction.
• Destruction in Phase 3 was a momentous event.
• Its dating would equal the date for the end of Phase 2 and, simultaneously, the beginning of Phase 4.
• Phase 2 glass finds, especially from the deposit of burned material west of the chapel (locus V.15), span 5th to mid-6th centuries, providing an excellent terminus post quem for Phase 3.
• Datable Phase 2 ceramics indicate end of Phase 2 in mid- to later 6th century.
• Phase 3 destruction took place around mid- to-later 6th century.
• No historically known human-induced destruction can be proposed here" and "a seismic event appears a more plausible explanation.

Erickson-Gini and Moore Bekes (2019) discussed the 6th century earthquake as follows:

The 2003 Excavation

Room 45

Evidence of damage caused by the earthquake that occurred in the sixth century CE was found in the collapse of the western wall of Room 45 (W790); it fell into an open space west of the room (L600). Here, two complete oil lamps were revealed that had apparently sat in a niche in the wall. One belongs to a type that is commonly found in contexts from the first half of the fifth century CE (Fig. 8:1). The other is a Byzantine sandal lamp, commonly found in deposits from the second half of the fifth century CE (Fig. 8:2).

• Attenuation Relationship is from Hough and Avni (2009)
• Conversion from PGA to Intensity using Wald et al (1999)

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

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