View source for 526 Antioch earthquake

{{Short description|Earthquake striking Syria and Antioch in 526}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox earthquake
| title = 526 Antioch earthquake
| pre-1900 = yes
| local-date = Probably between 20–29 May 526
| local-time = Mid-morning
| map2 = {{Location map | Syria
 | label=
 | lat=36.23
 | long=36.12
 | mark=Bullseye1.png
 | marksize=40
 | position=top
 | width= 250
 | float=right
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 |relief=yes}}
| magnitude = 7.0 {{M|s|link=y}}<ref name="NGDC">{{cite web|url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/131|title=Comments for the Significant Earthquake|author=National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information|year=1972 |publisher=NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information |doi=10.7289/V5TD9V7K|access-date=29 March 2022}}</ref>
| intensity = {{MMI|VIII}} – {{MMI|IX}}
| depth = 
| location = {{coord|36.23|36.12|display=inline,title}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://storing.ingv.it/cfti4med/quakes/M1203.html |title=Online catalogue of strong earthquakes in Italy 461 BC to 1997 and Mediterranean area 760 BC to 1500 |access-date=7 February 2015 |archive-date=7 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207215136/http://storing.ingv.it/cfti4med/quakes/M1203.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| countries affected = [[Byzantine Empire]] (now Turkey and Syria)
| tsunami = 
| casualties = 250,000–300,000+
| aftershocks = 
| foreshocks = 
| landslide = 
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| pga = 
| damages = 
| affected = [[Byzantine Empire]] (now Turkey)
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}}
The '''526 Antioch earthquake''' struck [[Syria (region)|Syria]] and, in particular, the city of [[Antioch]] in the [[Byzantine Empire]]. It occurred some time in late May 526, probably between 20 and 29 May, during mid-morning, killing approximately 250,000 people.<ref name=Sbeinati>{{Cite journal|title=The historical earthquakes of Syria: an analysis of large and moderate earthquakes from 1365 B.C. to 1900 A.D.|last=Sbeinati|first=M.R.|author2=Darawcheh, R.|author3=Mouty, M.|name-list-style=amp|year=2005|journal=Annals of Geophysics|volume=48|issue=3|pages=347–435|access-date=22 September 2011|url=http://www.earth-prints.org/bitstream/2122/908/1/01Sbeinati.pdf}}</ref> This was in the seventh year of the reign of the Byzantine emperor [[Justin I]] and occurred under the [[Roman consul|consulship]] of [[Olybrius (consul 526)|Olybrius]].<ref name="Malalas17"/> In Antioch the earthquake was followed by a fire that destroyed most of the buildings left standing after the earthquake. The maximum intensity in Antioch is estimated to have been between VIII (''Severe'') and IX (''Violent'') on the [[Mercalli intensity scale]].

==Tectonic setting==
The site of Antioch lies close to the complex triple junction between the northern end of the [[Dead Sea Transform]], the mainly transform boundary between the [[African plate]] and the [[Arabian plate]], the southwestern end of the [[East Anatolian Fault]], the mainly transform boundary between the [[Anatolian Plate]] and the Arabian plate, and the northeastern end of the Cyprus Arc, the boundary between the Anatolian and African plates. The city lies on the Antakya Basin, part of the Amik Basin, filled by [[Pliocene]] to recent [[alluvial]] sediments. The area has been affected by many large earthquakes during the last 2,000 years.<ref name="Çaktı">{{cite web|url=http://www.koeri.boun.edu.tr/depremmuh/Projeler-Bilgi/poster_EGU2011-antakya.pdf|title=Antakya Basin Strong Ground Motion Network|last=Çaktı|first=E.|author2=Bikçe M.|author3=Özel O.|author4=Geneş C.|author5= Kaçın S.|author6=Kaya Y.|name-list-style=amp|year=2011|access-date=22 September 2011}}</ref>

==Earthquake==
The estimated magnitude for the earthquake is 7.0 on the [[surface-wave magnitude]] scale.<ref name="NGDC"/> It was followed by 18 months of [[aftershock]]s.<ref name=Sbeinati/> Intensity estimates on the Mercalli scale are: VIII–IX for Antioch;<ref name="NGDC"/><ref name=Sbeinati/> VII for both [[Daphne (suburb of Antioch)|Daphne]], a suburb of Antioch, and the port town of [[Seleucia Pieria]].

==Damage==
[[File:Antiochia su Oronte.PNG|thumb|right|250px|Map of Antioch in the 6th century]]
The earthquake caused severe damage to many of the buildings in Antioch, including [[Constantine the Great]]'s great octagonal church [[Domus Aurea (Antioch)|Domus Aurea]], built on an island in the [[Orontes River]]. Only houses built close to the mountain were said to have survived. Most of the damage however, was a result of the fires that went on for many days in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, made worse by the wind.<ref name=Sbeinati/> The fire was described as so intense that there was a literal rain of fire, leaving the city of Antioch entirely desolate.<ref name="Malalas17">{{cite book | title = The Chronicle of John Malalas, A Translation | translator = Elizabeth Jeffreys, Michael Jeffreys and Roger Scott | location = Melbourne | year = 1986 | publisher = Australian Association of Byzantine Studies | isbn = 978-90-04-34460-0 | series = Byzantina Australiensia  | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MwEtDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA230 | chapter = Book 17: the Time of the Emperor Justin | pages = 230–244}}</ref>

The Great Church was destroyed by the fire seven days after the earthquake.<ref name=Sbeinati/> Amongst the many victims was Euphrasius, the [[Patriarch of Antioch]], who died after falling into a cauldron of pitch being used by [[wineskin]] makers, with only his head remaining unburnt.<ref>{{cite book|last=Witakowski|first=W.|title=Chronicle: known also as the Chronicle of Zuqnin, Part 3  |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8mJttYrBJL8C&pg=PA45|series=Translated texts for historians|volume=22|year=1996|publisher=Liverpool University Press|pages=46–47|isbn=978-0-85323-760-0}}</ref>

In the port of Seleucia Pieria an uplift of {{convert|0.7|–|0.8|m}} has been estimated, and the subsequent silting up of the harbour left it unusable.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130105115517/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119336087/abstract Erol, O. & Pirazzoli, P.A. 2007. Seleucia Pieria: an ancient harbour submitted to two successive uplifts. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 21, 317–327.]</ref>

Estimates of the death toll for this earthquake vary between 250,000 and 300,000, with 250,000 being the most commonly reported.<ref name=Sbeinati/> It has been suggested that the very high number of casualties was a result of there being a large number of visitors in the city from the surrounding countryside, there to celebrate [[Feast of the Ascension|Ascension Day]].<ref name="Meier">{{cite journal|last=Meier|first=M.|year=2007|title=Natural Disasters in the Chronographia of John Malalas : Reflections on their Function --An Initial Sketch|journal=The Medieval History Journal|volume=10|issue=1–2|pages=237–266|doi=10.1177/097194580701000209|citeseerx=10.1.1.1025.7374|s2cid=162788360 }}</ref>

The effects of the earthquake were further exacerbated by the ensuing lawlessness that was a result of the breakdown of the local government and necessary services. Many of the survivors gathered their families and belongings and fled the ruins of the city; however, many of these people were set upon by other victims or inhabitants that lived outside the city who robbed and murdered them for their belongings.<ref name="Malalas17"/>

==Aftermath==
The contemporary ''Chronicle'' of [[John Malalas]], a native of Antioch, is the main [[primary source]] that describes the impact of the earthquake. After the fires subsided a frantic rescue effort was undertaken by those who remained to free those trapped in the rubble. Many were trapped under rubble because so many buildings in the city collapsed due to the earthquake. Many of those who were rescued nonetheless died soon afterwards from their injuries. It was reported that many inhabitants remained buried under rubble for up to 30 days but were able to survive. There were even reports of babies being born in the rubble and surviving along with their mothers.<ref name="Malalas17"/> Another reported miracle was that on the third day after the earthquake the Holy Cross appeared in the clouds above the northern district of the city, leading those who saw it to weep and pray for an hour.<ref name="Malalas17"/> The sophist Procopius of Gaza wrote among his works a [[monody]] on the event.<ref name="Johnson">{{cite book |last1=Johnson |first1=Scott Fitzgerald |title=Languages and Cultures of Eastern Christianity: Greek |date=15 May 2017 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-92323-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kAskDwAAQBAJ |access-date=7 January 2024}}</ref>

In [[Constantinople]], Emperor [[Justin I]] reportedly reacted to the news of the earthquake by removing his diadem and crimson [[chlamys]]. He entered the church without these symbols of his rank and publicly lamented the destruction of Antioch. He arranged for ambassadors to be sent to the city with sufficient money for both immediate relief and to start Antioch's reconstruction.<ref name="Meier"/> The rebuilding of the Great Church and many other buildings was overseen by [[Ephraim of Antioch|Ephraim]], the {{lang|la|[[comes Orientis]]}}, whose efforts saw him replace Euphrasius as the [[Chalcedonian]] Patriarch of Antioch.<ref name="Martindale">{{Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire|volume=2|page=395}}</ref><ref name="Andrade">{{cite journal|last=Andrade|first=N.J.|year=2009|title=The Syriac life of John of Tella and the frontier ''Politeia''|journal=Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies|volume=12|issue=2|pages=199–234|doi=10.31826/hug-2011-120110 |s2cid=166809374 |url=http://syrcom.cua.edu/hugoye/Vol12No2/HV12N2Andrade.pdf|access-date=22 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927095306/http://syrcom.cua.edu/hugoye/Vol12No2/HV12N2Andrade.pdf|archive-date=27 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Many of the buildings erected after the earthquake were destroyed by another [[528 Antioch earthquake|major earthquake in November 528]], although there were far fewer casualties.<ref name=Sbeinati/>

In the eighth year and ninth month of his reign, Justin I appointed his nephew [[Justinian I]] co-emperor.<ref name="Malalas17"/> Justinian immediately made considerable efforts to increase the aid sent to Antioch for its reconstruction, with specific emphasis on the rebuilding of Christian holy sites. He built a Church of [[Mary, mother of Jesus]] across from the building known as the basilica of [[Rufinus (prefect)|Rufinus]]. Another church, the Church of [[Saints Cosmas and Damian]], was erected in the same area.<ref name="Malalas17"/> Justinian's wife [[Theodora (wife of Justinian I)|Theodora]] also aided in the rebuilding of the city. She commissioned the building of a church honouring the archangel [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]]. Additionally, she arranged for the construction of the basilica of Anatolius, with columns sent from Constantinople.<ref name="Malalas17"/>

[[Justinian I]] also funded efforts to repair the civil services of the city. Under his leadership the hospice was repaired, in addition to baths and cisterns, allowing for a return of the inhabitants to [[Antioch]]. Moreover, [[Justinian I]] also hunted down and prosecuted individuals who had rioted, and had robbed and murdered the innocent during the chaos that followed the earthquake and breakdown of the local government. Many of the guilty were sentenced to death while others were severely punished. The punishments disregarded the factional allegiances of the individuals.<ref name="Malalas17"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Asia|Byzantine Empire|Turkey}}
* [[115 Antioch earthquake]]
* [[1872 Amik earthquake]]
* [[2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes]]
* [[List of earthquakes in Turkey]]
* [[List of earthquakes in the Levant]]
* [[List of historical earthquakes]]
* [[List of natural disasters by death toll]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{1st-millennium earthquakes}}
{{Earthquakes in the Levant}}
{{Earthquakes in Turkey}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antioch 526}}
[[Category:526]]
[[Category:Earthquakes in the Byzantine Empire|0526 Antioch]]
[[Category:Earthquakes in the Levant|0526 Antioch]]
[[Category:6th-century earthquakes]]
[[Category:History of Hatay Province]]
[[Category:Ancient Antioch]]
[[Category:520s in the Byzantine Empire]]
[[Category:Byzantine Syria]]