Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Greece
- Part II Rome
- Chapter 11 The geographic space
- Chapter 12 People and nature
- Chapter 13 Agriculture
- Chapter 14 Forests and timber
- Chapter 15 Gardens
- Chapter 16 Animals
- Chapter 17 Food
- Chapter 18 Fire and water
- Chapter 19 Earthquakes and volcanoes
- Chapter 20 Mining
- Chapter 21 Urban problems and rural villa construction
- Chapter 22 The environment in Roman Britain
- Conclusion
- Chronology
- Further reading
- Sources
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 19 - Earthquakes and volcanoes
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part I Greece
- Part II Rome
- Chapter 11 The geographic space
- Chapter 12 People and nature
- Chapter 13 Agriculture
- Chapter 14 Forests and timber
- Chapter 15 Gardens
- Chapter 16 Animals
- Chapter 17 Food
- Chapter 18 Fire and water
- Chapter 19 Earthquakes and volcanoes
- Chapter 20 Mining
- Chapter 21 Urban problems and rural villa construction
- Chapter 22 The environment in Roman Britain
- Conclusion
- Chronology
- Further reading
- Sources
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
EARTHQUAKES
With the incorporation of the Mediterranean areas into the Roman Empire, Rome was increasingly confronted with the problem of earthquakes. These are reported for Italy during the time of the republic as well, in 217 and 91 bc, with Pliny even telling of simultaneous coastal inundations (nat. 2.199–200). For the imperial era we have more detailed reports about numerous further earthquakes at various places. After Emperor Augustus had already provided assistance to cities in Asia Minor for reconstruction in 25 bc (Strab. 12.8.18; Suet. Tib. 8), in ad 17 the ‘twelve-city earthquake’ in Asia Minor gave cause for Emperor Tiberius to provide state relief as well: Sardes received 10 million sesterces and five years’ tax exemption, and similar provisions also applied to the other cities (Tac. ann. 2.47). An earthquake shook Campania in ad 62, which later made imperial aid from Vespasian necessary, and caused damage in Pompeii that is visible to this day (Sen. nat. 6.1.13ff.). Seventeen years later came the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Earthquakes shook the eastern Mediterranean particularly frequently: in ad 115 Antioch was struck by an earthquake from which Emperor Trajan was just able to escape, and during which several miraculous rescues were attested (Dio 68.24–5). In the middle of the second century ad the earth shook in Lycia, Caria, Kos and Rhodes, leading Emperor Antoninus Pius to provide help for the reconstruction of the cities there (Paus. 8.43.4; Hist. Aug. Antonin. 9). In ad 358 an earthquake in Nicomedia was accompanied by whirlwinds and lightning, so that many houses collapsed, fire broke out and many deaths were lamented, since no help from outside came (Amm. Marc. 17.7.1–8). And in ad 365 an earthquake and tsunami struck the Mediterranean area, devastating Mothone in the Peloponnese and especially Alexandria (Amm. Marc. 26.10.15–19).
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- Information
- An Environmental History of Ancient Greece and Rome , pp. 114 - 120Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2012