The mid-6th century AD enigmatic mega earthquake and tsunami in central Greece: a seismotectonic, archeological, and historical reexamination

Abstract

In AD 552 the area around the Gulf of Corinth, Central Greece, was reportedly hit by large destructive earthquakes. At the same time a tsunami supposedly hit Maliac Bay. The case calls for a realistic interpretation since earthquake scenarios failed to explain rationally the narration of the contemporary Byzantine historian Procopius, the only literary source. Scholars have some doubts about Procopius’ reliability since he frequently copied classical authors. We found impressive similarities between the texts of Procopius and those by classic authors regarding the 426 BC central Greece tsunamigenic earthquake. Very likely the AD 552 Maliac Bay tsunami is a fake event in mimic of the 426 BC one. Sixth-century seismic disasters in southern Greece, reported away from the Gulf of Corinth have been attributed as a deus ex machina to the AD 552 earthquake(s) due to the lack of supporting literary sources. After critical examination of the Procopius’ narration and of relevant geological, seismotectonic, and archeological evidence, we concluded with a scenario comprising two strong (magnitude ~6.5) earthquakes but without tsunami generation. The first earthquake perhaps happened in Boeotia, NE Corinth Gulf, as palaeoseismological evidence also indicates. The second earthquake, in Patras-Naupactus area, western Corinth Gulf, is supported by convincing archeological findings. However, seismic destruction horizons in southern Greece are interpreted by distinct sixth-century earthquakes independent from the Procopius’ ones.

Non-seismic and Complex Source Tsunami: Unseen Hazard

“…Submarine landslides occur where sediment deposited on a sloping sea floor becomes unstable and moves downslope. This instability can be caused by a variety of factors, but a key one is the geometry of the sea floor, which is largely determined by tectonic processes [57]. Fault lines and the presence of weak, fractured, or deformed sedimentary layers due to tectonic activity can act as zones of weakness that make a slope susceptible to failure.…”

Geo-archaeology, archaeometry, and history of a seismic-endangered historical site in central Apennines (Italy)

“…A multidisciplinary approach involving geologists, archaeologists, cultural heritage conservators, and art historians allows a comprehensive investigation of the St. Angel Cave site (Palombaro, Abruzzo Region, Italy). The study of this archaeological site combines the interpretation of ancient pagan and Christian worship, variations of ecclesial properties, and seismic damages, adding new items to archaeoseismic cases history in Italy [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. This study is based on a comprehensive archaeometry analysis of the archaeological findings and the philological study of relevant chronicles.…”