365 Crete earthquake
The 365 Crete earthquake occurred at about sunrise on 21 July 365 in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an assumed epicentre near Crete. Geologists today estimate the undersea earthquake to have been a moment magnitude 8.5 or higher. It caused widespread destruction in the central and southern Diocese of Macedonia (modern Greece), Africa Proconsularis (northern Libya), Egypt, Cyprus, Sicily, and Hispania (Spain). On Crete, nearly all towns were destroyed.
Constantinople Tripoli Alexandria | |
| Local date | 21 July 365 |
|---|---|
| Local time | Sunrise |
| Magnitude | Mw 8.5+ |
| Epicenter | near Crete 35.0°N 23.0°E |
| Fault | Unknown (HSZ) |
| Areas affected | Mediterranean Basin |
| Max. intensity | MMI XI (Extreme) |
| Tsunami | Yes |
| Casualties | "many thousands" |
The earthquake was followed by a paleotsunami 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.