29 CE Solar Eclipse Quake

Textual Evidence

Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes
Olympiads by Phlegon of Tralles as quoted by Eusebius and Syncellus	Greek	Biography of Phlegon of Tralles Biography of Eusebius Biography of George Syncellus		2nd century CE. Carrier (2011-2012:191) says that Phlegon's work is usually dated between 120 and 140 CE.		Later authors (e.g., Eusebius and Syncellus) report that Phlegon recorded an earthquake in northern Anatolia which coincided with a Solar Eclipse. As the date of these two events was close in time to when Jesus died, these later authors (e.g., Eusebius and Syncellus) mistakenly conflated Phlegon's account with an earthquake and midday darkness reported in some of the Gospel accounts on the day Jesus died. Phlegon is reported by the later authors to have reported seismic shaking in Bithynia, many collapsed structures Nicea, and serious earthquake damage in Pontus (for Pontus see Appolonius Grammaticus).
Thallus as quoted by Syncellus through the intermediary of Julius Africanus	Greek	Biography of Thallus Biography of Julius Africanus Biography of George Syncellus		It is not known when Thallus lived and wrote but one estimate is that he wrote sometime in the 2nd century CE (Carrier, 2011-2012:188-189). Others say he wrote in 52 CE.		It seems unlikely that Thallus' original words are accurately quoted by Syncellus and the context of Thallus' original account also seems to be lost. At its core, it appears that Thallus wrote about a solar eclipse. Whether this eclipse coincided with an earthquake and when or where this eclipse occurred is unknown but the attention paid to it by later apologetic writers suggests that Thallus wrote about an eclipse around the time that Jesus died (26-36 CE). Syncellus did not quote Thallus directly, Instead, he accessed Thallus through the intermediary of Julius Africanus who was also an apologetic writer seeking to make a case for Jesus' divinity. While discussing the midday darkness reported on the day of the Crucifixion (reported by 3 of the 4 canonical gospels), Syncellus notes that Thallus claimed that this was a Solar Eclipse. Whether Thallus made such a claim or reported an unrelated solar eclipse is not known. Syncellus discounted this supposed statement by Thallus by noting that solar eclipses are impossible during a full moon and Jesus died on the day of a full moon. Syncellus went on to state that the midday darkness reported on the day of the crucifixion was supernatural in origin.
History Against the Pagans by Orosius	Latin	Biography	Christian	~416-417 CE	Palestine and/or Gallaecia (northwest Hispania) and/or places between.	Orosius claimed that a universal earthquake occurred when Jesus was crucified and that the earthquake demolished many cities of Asia. He also claimed that there was a universal darkness at the same time which was attested in Christian scripture as well as several books of the Greeks.
Commentariorum In Esaiam by Jerome	Latin	Biography	Christian	405-420 CE	Bethlehem	Ambraseys (2009) provided a brief quote from Jerome which lacks context but states that Jerome claimed, based on scripture, that there was an eclipse of the sun, Bithynia was shaken by an earthquake, and in the city of Nicea many houses collapsed.
Appolonius Grammaticus	Greek	Biography				Guidoboni et. al. (1994:186) wrote that Apollonius Grammaticus was Phlegon's source and records an earthquake in Pontus at the time of Tiberius (r. 14-37 CE).
Other Sources
Eclipse Path						NASA dates the total eclipse in North Anatolia to 24 November 29 CE in the Julian Calendar while imcee dates it to 22 November 29 CE in the Gregorian Calendar.
Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes

Olympiads by Phlegon of Tralles

Background and Biography

Biography of Phlegon of Tralles

Biography of Eusebius

Biography of George Syncellus

Quoted in Chronicon by Eusebius

Eusebius wrote Chronicon in two parts in the early 4th century AD. Although the original Greek text has been lost, later Chroniclers preserved significant parts of the manuscript. Jerome translated all of the second part (Book 2) into Latin.

Excerpts

English translation from Jerome's Latin translation of Eusebius Chronicon Book Two

Eusebius Chronicon Book Two translated by Jerome
4th year of the 202nd Olympiad (page 256/258)
from tertullian.org
apparently multiple differing manuscripts exist

Jesus Christ, according to the prophecies, which had been spoken about him beforehand, came to the Passion in the 18th year of Tiberius, at which time also we find these things written verbatim in other commentaries of the gentiles: an eclipse of the sun happened, Bithynia shaken by earthquake, and in the city of Nicaea many buildings collapsed: all of which agree with what occurred in the Passion of the Saviour. Indeed Phlegon, who is an excellent calculator of Olympiads, also writes about this, in his 13th book writing thus:

However in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, an eclipse of the sun happened, greater and more excellent than any that had happened before it; at the sixth hour, day turned into dark night, so that the stars were seen in the sky, and an earthquake in Bithynia toppled many buildings of the city of Nicaea.

These things the aforementioned man (says).

Jerome's Latin translation of Eusebius Chronicon Book Two

Eusebius Chronicon Book Two translated by Jerome
4th year of the 202nd Olympiad (page 256/258)
from tertullian.org
apparently multiple differing manuscripts exist

lesus Christus secundum prophetius quae de eo fuerant praelocutae ad passionem venit anno Tiberii decimo octavo, quo tempore etiam in aliis ethnicorum commentariis haec ad verbum scripta repperimus "solis facta defectio. Bithynia terrae motu concussa, et in urbe Nicaea aedes plurimae corruerunt", quae omnia his congruunt quae in passione Salvatoris acciderant. Scribit vero super his et Flego, qui 1...] ita dicens:

quarto autem anno ducentesima secundae magna et excellens inter omnes quae ante earn acciderant defectio solis facta; dies hora sexta eta in tenebrosam noctem versus ut stellae in caelo visae sint terraeque motus in Bithynia Nicae[n]ae urbis multas aedes subverterit

English translation from Jerome's Latin translation of Eusebius Chronicon Book Two - embedded

see 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad (page 256/258)
Eusebius Chronicon Book Two translated by Jerome
from tertullian.org
apparently multiple differing manuscripts exist

Chronology

This is a case of a forced synchronicity. Eusebius conflates the North Anatolian Earthquake reported by Phlegon with the Passion narrative which Eusebius probably thought occurred in in the 4th year of the 202nd Olympiad.


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
1 July 32 CE to 30 June 33 CE	the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad	none	Calculated with CHRONOS

Seismic Effects

Bithynia shaken by earthquake, and in the city of Nicaea many buildings collapsed
an earthquake in Bithynia toppled many buildings of the city of Nicaea

Locations

Bithynia
Nicaea

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Quoted in The Chronography by George Syncellus

George Syncellus wrote the Chronography from 808-810 CE ( Adler and Tuffin, 2002:lxx) using Eusebius and Julius Africanus as his primary sources.

Excerpts

English from Adler and Tuffin (2002)

from Adler and Tuffin (2002:462-472)

AM 5533

Year 33 of the divine Incarnation

This year AM 5533 was our Saviour's thirty-third year of age according to the flesh, the 213th year of the eleventh revolution of the 532-year cycle, in the nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar.
...
although blameless, he was crucified on the 27th of the month of Phamenoth
...

From Africanus concerning the events associated with the passion of the Saviour and the life-bringing Resurrection¹

Concerning each of his deeds and his cures, both of bodies and souls, and the secrets of his knowledge, and his Resurrection from the dead, this has been explained with complete adequacy by his disciples and the apostles before us. A most terrible darkness fell over all the world, the rocks were torn apart by an earthquake, and many places both in Judaea and the rest of the world were thrown down².

In the third book of his Histories, Thallos dismisses this darkness as a solar eclipse.³ In my opinion, this is nonsense. For the Hebrews celebrate the Passover on Luna 14, and what happened to the Saviour occurred one day before the Passover⁴. But an eclipse of the sun takes place when the moon passes under the sun. The only time when this can happen is in the interval between the first day of the new moon and the last day of the old moon, when they are in conjunction⁵. How then could one believe an eclipse took place when the moon was almost in opposition to the sun? So be it. Let what had happened beguile the masses, and let this wonderful sign to the world be considered a solar eclipse through an optical (illusion).

Phlegon records that during the reign of Tiberius Caesar there was a complete solar eclipse at full moon from the sixth to the ninth hour; it is clear that this is the one⁶. But what have eclipses to do with an earthquake, rocks breaking apart, resurrection of the dead, and a universal disturbance of this nature?^1a

Certainly an event of such magnitude has not been recalled for a long time. But it was a darkness created by God, because it happened that the Lord experienced his passion at that time. And reason proves that the seventy weeks of years mentioned in Daniel were completed in this time.

...

From Eusebios Pamphilou concerning the same matter⁷

In accordance with the prophecies about him, Jesus Christ, the son of God, our Lord, went forth to his passion in the nineteenth year of the reign of Tiberius.⁸ At that time, we have found the following events recounted verbatim in other Greek historical records as well: 'There was a solar eclipse. Bithynia was shaken by an earthquake. Many sites in Nikaia collapsed.' These reports also correspond with the events associated with the passion of our Saviour. Phlegon, who composed a record of the Olympiads, also writes about these same events in his 13th book, with the following words: 'In the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad, there was an eclipse of the sun, greater than any that had been previously known. And night fell at the sixth hour of the day, so that the stars appeared in the sky. A great earthquake occurring throughout Bithynia overturned many sites in Nikaia.⁹ This is the witness of the man just mentioned.

Footnotes

1 Routh, fr. 5o. This excerpt from Africanus comprises three segments:

an exposition of the meaning of the miraculous events narrated by Matthew at the time of Jesus' crucifixion (Matt. 27.45-54) see also Kedr. i. 331.9-332.15
an extended chronological interpretation of the 7o-week prophecy of Dan. 9.24-7; see also Eus. DE 8.2.45-54
a summary of Africanus' 5531-year chronology from Adam up to the time of Jesus' crucifixion.

2 Matt. 27.45, 51. In the discussion that follows, Africanus challenges a widespread effort by Christian chroniclers and apologists to validate Matthew's story of the darkness and the earthquake from pagan historians, chiefly Phlegon's account of a great earthquake and solar eclipse during the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberius; for proponents of this view, see Origen, Contra Celsum 2.33; Eus. 2.1744 (= Synk. 394.1-22); Joh. Mal. 240.17-22; Chi-on. pasch. 412.7-15; 417.9-15. Africanus' chief argument is that Jesus' crucifixion occurred during the celebration of the Passover, that is around the middle of the month of Nisan, when the sun and moon are in opposition. Since solar eclipses only occur when the sun and moon are in conjunction, the darkness at noon described in Matthew was not a naturally occurring and predictable astronomical phenomenon; it was rather an extraordinary event, 'created by God'. Africanus was not the only Christian writer to express doubts that the darkness over the earth at the time of the crucifixion was a solar eclipse; see Origen, Scholia in Matthaeum (PG 17.309); Joh. Philop. De opif. mundi 2.21.

3 Thallos, FGrH 256 F I.

4 Exod. 12.6; John 19.31.

5 Text: [Greek Text] Cf. Kedr. i. 331.24: [Greek Text] ('new moon') instead of [Greek Text].

6 Phlegon, FGrH 257 F 16. This sentence is full of inconsistencies. It is hard to imagine why, after previously discounting the solar eclipse explanation, Africanus suddenly embraces Phlegon's eclipse as 'clearly' the same one described in Matthew. Phlegon's dating of the eclipse is also at odds with Africanus' own chronology of Jesus' ministry. According to Eusebios (2.1744 = Synk. 394.8-15), Phlegon dated the solar eclipse in the '4th year of the 202nd Olympiad (quarto ... anno CCII olympiadis)', corresponding to 18 Tiberius. Since Jesus' ministry commenced in 15 Tiberius (see Luke 3.1), Eusebios concluded that Phlegon's report established that 'Jesus preached for a period of 3 years'. But as Synk. states repeatedly, Africanus assigned only one year (5530/1) to Jesus' ministry; see below, pp. 471, 472, 473 (= Moss. 393.28-30; 394.25-7; 395.19-22). That would mean that Jesus' crucifixion occurred in 16, not 18, Tiberius. Finally, the description of the eclipse that Africanus ascribes to Phlegon conflicts with Eusebios'. According to the latter writer, Phlegon stated only that 'there was an eclipse of the sun greater than any previously known, and it became night on the sixth hour of the day.' There is no suggestion here about a three-hour solar eclipse at full moon. Routh (478 n. ad loc.) thus suggests that the above sentence might be an editorial corruption either by Synk. or an intermediary. In any case, the eclipse intended must be that of 24 November 29 = 01. 202.1; at some point, before or after Phlegon, A' was corrupted to Δ'.

1a Text. [Greek Text]. Following Di. and Routh, [Greek Text] emended to [Greek Text].
Lit. 'What is the connection between eclipses and an earthquake, rocks breaking apart', etc. But since in the preceding discussion Africanus attempts to prove that the events described in Matt. 27 were not evidence of a solar eclipse, the translation given above better conveys Africanus' argument.

7 Eus. 2.174d

8 Cf. Eus. 2.174.16 (18 Tiberius). Synk.'s date, also attested in the Armenian version of the Canons (2.213Arm), is the preferable reading. In this same excerpt, Eusebios puts Jesus' crucifixion in 01. 202.4 (= 19 Tiberius). Jerome's version perhaps emended the 19th year to the 18th year, in order to conform with the accepted chronology of Jesus' ministry (three years, beginning in 15 Tiberius).

9 Phlegon, FGrH 257 F 16.

Greek (partial)

Καθ ολου του κοσμου σκοτος επηγετο φοβερωτατον, σεισμω τε αι πετραι διερρηγνυντο και τα πολλα Ιουδαιας και της λοιπης γης κατερριφθη. τουτο το σκοτος εκλειψιν του ηλιου Θαλλος αποκαλει εν τριτη των ιστοριων, ως εμοι δοκει, αλογως. Εβραιοι γαρ αγουσι το πασχα κατα σεληνην ι̅δ̅, προ δε μιας του πασχα τα περι τον σωτηρα συμβαινει. εκλειψις δε ηλιου σεληνης υπελθουσης τον ηλιον γινεται· αδυνατον δε εν αλλω χρονω, πλην εν τω μεταξυ μιας και της προ αυτης κατα την συνοδον αυτην αποβηναι. πως ουν εκλειψις νομισθειη κατα διαμετρον σχεδον υπαρχουσης της σεληνης ηλιω; εστω δη, συναρπαζετω τους πολλους το γεγενημενον και το κοσμικον τερας ηλιου εκλειψις υπονοεισθω εν τη κατα την οψιν. Φλεγων ιστορει επι Τιβεριου Καισαρος εν πανσεληνω εκλειψιν ηλιου γεγονεναι τελειαν απο ωρας εκτης μεχρις ενατης, δηλον ως ταυτην. τις δ η κοινωνια σεισμω και εκλειψει, πετραις ρηγνυμεναις, και αναστασει νεκρων τοσαυτη τε κινησει κοσμικη;

Chronology

This is a case of both a forced synchronicity and chronological inconsistency. Syncellus conflates the North Anatolian Earthquake reported by Africanus with the Passion narrative. None of the dates provided below are to be trusted.


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
25 Mar. 40 to 24 Mar. 41 CE	A.M._a 5533	none	Calculated with CHRONOS
25 March 41 to 24 March 42 CE	Year 33 of the divine Incarnation	none	Calculated with CHRONOS
?	213th year of the eleventh revolution of the 532-year cycle	none
17 Sept. 32 to 16 Sept. 33 CE	nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar	none	Calculated with CHRONOS. Tiberius' rule started on 17 Sept. 14 CE.

Seismic Effects

the rocks were torn apart by an earthquake, and many places both in Judaea and the rest of the world were thrown down

Locations

Geographic extent is overstated and mixes an earthquake reported in the Gospel of Matthew with the Solar Eclipse Quake

Online References and Further Reading

References

Thallus as quoted by Syncellus through the intermediary of Julius Africanus

Background and Biography

Biography of Thallus

Biography of Julius Africanus

Biography of George Syncellus

Quoted in The Chronography by George Syncellus

George Syncellus wrote the Chronography from 808-810 CE ( Adler and Tuffin, 2002:lxx) using Eusebius and Julius Africanus as his primary sources.

Excerpts

English from Adler and Tuffin (2002)

from Adler and Tuffin (2002:462-472)

Footnotes

1 Routh, fr. 5o. This excerpt from Africanus comprises three segments:

an exposition of the meaning of the miraculous events narrated by Matthew at the time of Jesus' crucifixion (Matt. 27.45-54) see also Kedr. i. 331.9-332.15
an extended chronological interpretation of the 7o-week prophecy of Dan. 9.24-7; see also Eus. DE 8.2.45-54
a summary of Africanus' 5531-year chronology from Adam up to the time of Jesus' crucifixion.

Greek (partial)


Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
25 Mar. 40 to 24 Mar. 41 CE	A.M._a 5533	none	Calculated with CHRONOS
25 March 41 to 24 March 42 CE	Year 33 of the divine Incarnation	none	Calculated with CHRONOS
?	213th year of the eleventh revolution of the 532-year cycle	none
17 Sept. 32 to 16 Sept. 33 CE	nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar	none	Calculated with CHRONOS. Tiberius' rule started on 17 Sept. 14 CE.

Seismic Effects

the rocks were torn apart by an earthquake, and many places both in Judaea and the rest of the world were thrown down

Locations

Geographic extent is overstated and mixes an earthquake reported in the Gospel of Matthew with the Solar Eclipse Quake

Online References and Further Reading

References

History Against the Pagans by Orosius

Background and Biography

Excerpts

Orosius (c.375 - c.418 CE) alludes to Greek sources in his description of Darkness and an Earthquake during the Passion. These Greek sources may have been Phlegon and Thallus. The additional information that Tiberius sent tribute to cities in Asia likely refers to cities damaged by the alleged Anatolian earthquake.

English

Book 7 Section 4 Paragraphs 5-7
from an unknown translation

In the seventeenth year of this emperor, the Lord Jesus Christ of His own free will submitted to His passion. Nevertheless, it was through their own impiety that the Jews arrested Him and nailed Him to the cross. At that time a very severe earthquake shook the whole world. The rocks upon the mountains were rent, and many sections of the largest cities were overthrown by its unusual violence. On that day, too, at the sixth hour, the sun was also entirely obscured and a hideous darkness suddenly overshadowed the earth; in the words of the poet,

a godless age feared eternal night. [Vergil, Georgics, i. 468]

It is, however, perfectly plain that the sun's light was not cut off either by the moon or by clouds. For we are told that the moon, being fourteen days old at the time, was in the opposite quarter of the heavens, farthest from the sun, and that the stars were shining throughout the entire sky at that hour of the daytime or rather in that awful night. These facts are attested not only by the authority of the Holy Gospels but also by several books of the Greeks.

From the time of the passion of our Lord to this day, the Jews, who had persecuted Him to the extent of their power, have complained incessantly of an unbroken succession of disasters, until finally their nation, drained of its lifeblood and scattered abroad, disappeared from history. For Tiberius dispatched the youth of the Jewish nation to provinces having an unhealthful climate, using their military obligation as a pretext. He also forced the remainder of the Jews, as well as those who practiced similar rites, to leave Rome, threatening to make them slaves for life if they failed to obey. When the earthquake mentioned above demolished many cities of Asia, he remitted their tribute and made a donation to them from his own purse as well. The circumstances of the death of Tiberius led to suspicions that he had been poisoned.

Seismic Effects

a very severe earthquake shook the whole world
The rocks upon the mountains were rent, and many sections of the largest cities were overthrown by its unusual violence
the earthquake mentioned above demolished many cities of Asia

Locations

Geographic extent is overstated and mixes an earthquake reported in the Gospel of Matthew with the Solar Eclipse Quake

Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Notes

Calendars used by Orosius

Reference	Cited By
Psuedo-Dionysus 96/i. 74	Ambraseys (2009)
Malalas 241	Guidoboni et. al. (1994)
Chron. Pasch. 219-222,412,417	Guidoboni et. al. (1994)
Apollon. Gramm. apud Phleg. FGrHist 257 F 36 (XIV)	Guidoboni et. al. (1994)
Phleg. FGrHist 257 F 16 a	Guidoboni et. al. (1994)
Photius
Michael the Syrian

29 CE Solar Eclipse Quake

24 November 29 CE

by Jefferson Williams

Introduction & Summary

Textual Evidence

Quoted in Chronicon by Eusebius

Quoted in The Chronography by George Syncellus

Quoted in The Chronography by George Syncellus

Archeoseismic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Notes

Paleoclimate - Droughts

References