365 Crete earthquake
 Constantinople
Tripoli
Alexandria
 |
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| Date | 21 July 365 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 8.5+ |
| Epicenter | 35°00′N 23°00′E / 35.0°N 23.0°ECoordinates: 35°00′N 23°00′E / 35.0°N 23.0°E |
| Areas affected | Greece, Crete |
| Max. intensity | XI (Extreme) |
| Tsunami | Yes |
| Casualties | "many thousands" |
The AD 365 Crete earthquake occurred at about sunrise on 21 July in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an assumed epicentre near Crete. Geologists today estimate the undersea earthquake to have been a magnitude eight or higher, causing widespread destruction in central and southern Greece, northern Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Sicily, and Spain. In Crete, nearly all towns were destroyed.
The Crete earthquake was followed by a tsunami which devastated the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, particularly Libya, Alexandria and the Nile Delta, killing thousands and hurling ships 3 km (1.9 mi) inland. The quake left a deep impression on the late antique mind, and numerous writers of the time referred to the event in their works.
Recent (2001) geological studies view the AD 365 Crete earthquake in connection with a clustering of major seismic activity in the Eastern Mediterranean between the fourth and sixth century AD which may have reflected a reactivation of all major plate boundaries in the region. The earthquake is thought to be responsible for an uplift of nine metres of the island of Crete, which is estimated to correspond to a seismic moment of ~1029dyne cm. An earthquake of such a size exceeds all modern ones known to have affected the region.
Carbon dating shows that corals on the coast of Crete were lifted ten metres and clear of the water in one massive push. This indicates that the tsunami of AD 365 was generated by an earthquake in a steep fault in the Hellenic Trench near Crete. The scientists estimate that such a large uplift is only likely to occur once in 5,000 years; however, the other segments of the fault could slip on a similar scale—and this could happen every 800 years or so. It is unsure whether "one of the contiguous patches might slip in the future."
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