Tsunami

It was on July 21, 365 AD that a large earthquake, triggered a series of aftershocks that wreaked havoc on the Mediterranean, and beyond.  The epicenter is known to be just off the west coast of Crete. Many in the region thought it the end of the world.  However, this post will focus primarily on one known city, affected by that event, and the consequences to the world at that time.  Alexandria, which was established by the Greek Conqueror Alexander the Great in 332 BC, is well recognized for a few things.  First, it was home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the light house located on the island of Faros.  Second, was the great library having been located in that city.  Finally, is its mentioned in present time popular movies—two examples come to mind; it is noted as the starting location to find the Holy Grail, in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and is also noted as providing some of the underground treasure from the Knights Templar and the Mason’s located deep under New York in the movie National Treasure. 

Ancient City of Alexandria 

Alexandria was a treasure to Egypt and saw its greatest rise during the reign of Ptolemy, one of Alexander’s lieutenants, and an ancestor to Cleopatra.  It was during this period that the city replaced Memphis as the capital, and when patronage was provided to increase support for the ruling regime.  One method of patronage was in scholarship and learning. It was through this that the library grew to be one of the most famous at that time in the world.  The library and its contents are now lost to history, except for those found by Benjamin Franklin Gates below the bowels of New York in National Treasure.  How the library was lost, is a matter of speculation, but it may be related to the series of cataclysmic events which struck Alexandria. 

Scene from National Treasure Movie

The city is thought to have been affected by over 25 earthquakes over the course of time.  It susceptibility to earthquakes is likely attributed to it being built on sediment deposits of the Nile River.  Tsunamis were associated with some, but not all of the earthquakes.  The great light house was not thought to be affected by the 365 event, but was thought to be affected by earthquakes in 796, 950 to 956, 1261 and the final event In 1303 which completely destroyed the famed structure.  Given the level of havoc by the 365 event, it is a wonder the light house was not affected.  Clearly the island of Faros and its adjoining man-made causeway did little to protect the city from the Tsunami, and its waves thought to travel at 500 mph.  The historian and recorder of the time, Ammianus Marcellinus noted the following of the 365 event:

The sea as driven backwards, so as to recede from the land, and the very depths were uncovered, so that many marine animals were left sticking in the mud.  And the depths of its valleys and recesses of the hills, which from the very first origin of all things had been lying beneath the boundless waters, now beheld the beams of sun.  Many ships were stranded on the dry shore, while people straggling about the shoal water picked up fishes and things of that kind in their hands.  In another quarter the waves, as if raging against the violence which they had been driven back, rose and swelling over the boiling shallows, beat upon the islands and the extended coasts of the mainland, leveling cities and houses wherever the encountered them.  All the elmetns were in furious discord, and the whole face of the world seemed turned upside down, revealing the most extraordinary sights. 

Marcellinus would go on describe the death of thousands, and of ships in the harbor having been thrown inland, some up to two miles as a result of the cataclysm of 365 .  Many of the towns would not recover from this event.  One geologist believes the quake was about 8.3 in magnitude.  By comparison the 2011 quake in Japan, was 9.0.  however, he does not believe the quake near Crete was able to cause such large waves in Alexandria, so it is very likely, that the Crete quake triggered other quakes on fault lines in the sea which produced the Tsunami.  Some believe the destruction was caused not by one, but two Tsunamis.  This would assist the theory of more than one quake having occurred.  The split in the earth would also yield a political split on earth.

Image of possible appearance of the Library

Thirty years later saw the Roman Empire split in two with eastern and western sections.  This would forever change world history with the advent of the Byzantine empire, and the decline of the western Roman Empire.  While not having much direct affect it likely had some effect on the split and the continuation of civilization as it was known.  Many cities and towns along the sea coast were not rebuilt and within three generations (about 64 years) Vandals had invaded the Roman settlements of North Africa and would soon control all of the former North African portions of the once great empire.  Yet, the fourth century produced great thinkers such as St. Augustine, and St. Jerome, and it produced wealth.  One historian has referred to the fourth century as an age  of wealth, even as the empire was in decline.  The Roman Empire would end 111 years after this event.  As high as the Roman elite lived in the fourth century, many would see a decline in the fifth.  The end of the empire was at hand, through measured disintegration in military, and political powers.

Ancient Port of Alexandria, destroyed in 365

The end of the library of Alexandria is not known, but it was likely not caused by one event, as most seem to speculate.  Some believe it accidently was set ablaze by Julius Caesar during the siege of Alexandria in 48 BC, but that is discounted.  Some say it was destroyed by Christians in 391, but they destroyed a pagan temple not near the library; others believe it was during the Muslim conquest in the 5^th or 6^th century, but one citation lacks collaboration.  Historians cannot set a date of its destruction, much less a cause.  As one person suggested it may have declined due to a loss  in economic wealth.  Having been founded to create patronage and honor to Ptolemy, it may well have suffered neglect over time once that regime fell out of favor.  What no one mentions is the possibility of natural disaster having affected the library.  The account of Marcellinus would show that much of the city was affected and it is thought that the material of the scrolls was not well suited to the climate of the Alexandria.  The theory of gradual decline and the theory of natural events are not necessarily incompatible.  The two may have been related.  Flooding may have led to loss of records, and loss of care.  This too could affect wealth and ability to rebuild.  If not fully destroyed by the Tsunami, it may well have been affected.  This, with the power center of the world having moved to Rome with the conquest by Caesar, may have led the library to a death through the neglect of man, and/or the advance of nature. 

Image of potential appearance of light house

What we do know is that the earth is not static.  Natural events occur that change our landscape and habitat and in so doing may well effect our political and cultural endeavors and institutions.  The great empire of Rome was not immune from natural and political effects, nor is the western civilization of today.  There will be other major events, beyond Katrina, and beyond Fukushima.  There will be governments that find themselves dealing with strife.  There will be poor to feed and homeless to shelter.  Yet, there have been many times were mankind and cultures have survived great disasters that could otherwise tear a country apart. 

 Images from Google