30 December 859 - 29 January 860 Earthquake
Sources of the Earthquake:
– Al-Mansouri: In the year 244 A.H. [858 April of victims.19-859 April 7], a great earthquake occurred in Al-Sham, damaging Antioch, Homs and Palmyra.
– Al-Tabari: In Shawwal 245 A.H. (859 December 30-860 January 29), there was an earthquake at Antioch, collapsing 1.500 houses, killing many people, half of the city wall and 90 towers fell down and people ran out to desert. A part of Jabal Al-Akraa was split and sank into the sea generating high waves, disappearing river there. It was said that inhabitants of Tnis (Egypt) heard a high noise which led to the killing of a large number of victims. In this year the earthquake shook Balis, Raqqa, Harran, Ras Al-Ain, Homs, Damascus, Al-Ruha, Tarsus, Adana and the Syrian coasts. In Lattakia the shock caused destruction of all houses and some survivals there escaped. Same happened to Jableh.
– Al-Suyuti: [...] The earthquake passed the Euphrates after destroying Balis and its around [...].
– Saadeh (1984): in the year 859-860, a violent earthquake occurred at Lattakia, causing destruction of most buildings with a large number
Parametric catalogues
– Plassard and Kogoj (1981): 859 April 18, in Lebanon, this earthquake caused destruction in Antioch and damage in Damascus and Homs (Al-Suyuti, Erpenius). Poirier and Taher (1980): 859 December,I0=X-XI (MMS), in Antioch 1.500 houses were destroyed, 90 towers fell from the ramparts. Casios Montain (Jabal Al-Aqra’), 30 km SW of Antioch, fell into the sea. A river disappeared into the ground. Cities of Urfa, Adana, Tarsus, Misis, Homs and Damascus were destroyed.
– Ben-Menahem (1979): 8.0, near Samandag, an inhabited mountain fell into the sea. Total destruction of Antioch. Felt in Mecca, Egypt, Turkey, Armenia, Mesopotamia. Damage in Jerusalem (Al-Sinawi and Ghalib; Amiran; Ergin et al.; Plassard and Kogoj; Sieberg).
Seismological compilations:
– Al-Massisa, Edessa, Raqqa, Ra’s al-’Ayn, Tarsus, Mt. Casius and Syria, landslide, in the year (30 December 859-29 January 860) there was an earthquake at Antioch, killing a large number of people and causing the collapse of 1.500 houses and about 90 towers in the walls of the city, Mt. Casius (Jabal Al-Aqra’a) split open and rocks fell into the sea, which was stormy that day, people in Tinnis in Egypt were killed, there was another earthquake in the cities of Balis, Raqqa, Harran, Ra’s Al-’Ayn, Hims, Damascus, Al-Ruha, Tarsus, Al-Massisa, Adhanah and along the Syrian coast, the earthquake reached Laodecea, where no home remained standing and only a small number of people escaped (Al-Tabari). Syria was struck by earthquakes which destroyed Laodicea and Jableh and many people were killed (Ya’qubi).
– Ambraseys et al. (1994): In one day of January 860, a large earthquake in Eastern Anatolia and North Syria, particularly destructive in Antioch, Jableh and Lattakia, was felt in Egypt (Al-Suyuti; Al-Tabari; Ibn Al-Athir; Taher). This earthquake could be dated in other catalogues on 859 and often under 8 April (Al-Sinawi and Ghaleb; Ben-Menahem; Kallner-Amiran; Poirier and Taher; Sieberg).
– Sieberg (1932): 859 April, a strong earthquake in Northern Syria. It was felt in Asia Minor, Armenia, Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt. It killed a large number of people. In Antioch, 1.500 houses and 90 towers of the city rampart collapsed. Lattakia and Jableh lost most of their inhabitants. A part of Casius mountain fell into the sea. Damascus, Tarsus, Edessa, Baghdad, Homs, Balis, Adana Harran, Marsin and ...? affected. Minor damage in the mosque of Al-Aqsa in Al-Quds. Shocks lasted for 3 months.