AD 62 Pompeii earthquake

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AD 62 Pompeii earthquake
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Local date5 February 62 (2062-02-05)
Magnitude5.2–6.1
Epicentre 40°42′N14°30′E / 40.7°N 14.5°E / 40.7; 14.5 [1]
Areas affected Roman Empire, Campania
Max. intensity MMI IX (Violent) – MMI X (Extreme)

On 5 February AD 62, an earthquake of an estimated magnitude of between 5 and 6 and a maximum intensity of IX or X on the Mercalli scale struck the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, severely damaging them. The earthquake may have been a precursor to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which destroyed the same two towns. The contemporary philosopher and dramatist Seneca the Younger wrote an account of the earthquake in the sixth book of his Naturales quaestiones , entitled De Terrae Motu (Concerning Earthquakes).

Contents

Geological setting

The epicentre of the earthquake lies within a zone of active extensional faulting, but close to the southern flank of Vesuvius. Analysis of focal mechanisms from the area around Vesuvius indicates that active faulting in the area involves NW–SE and NE–SW trending oblique-slip normal faults and E–W trending normal faults, part of the zone of active extension that extends the full length of the Apennines mountain chain, associated with continued opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea. [2] An association between earthquakes in the central Apennines and eruptions of Vesuvius has been proposed, but is not yet proven. [3]

Date

There is some uncertainty regarding the year of this earthquake. Seneca, who was writing soon after the event, describes the earthquake as occurring during the consulship of Memmius Regulus and L. Virginius Rufus, which would suggest the year was AD 63. In contrast Tacitus, who was writing some forty years later, describes it as occurring during the consulship of P. Marius Celsus and L.Asinius Gallus, which indicates AD 62. The page for this event in the online Catalogue of Strong Earthquakes in Italy (BC 461 – 1977) discusses this discrepancy and considers that AD 62 is the more likely date. [4]

Characteristics

The extent of damage has been used to estimate the magnitude of the earthquake. Estimates lie in the range from about 5 to 6.1. [5] The maximum felt intensity is estimated to have been in the range IX to X, [1] [6] and the area of highest intensity was elongated roughly WNW–ESE. [6] Shaking was reported to have continued for several days, [7] presumably referring to a sequence of aftershocks. The focal depth is estimated to have been in the range 5–6 km. [8]

The earthquake is likely to have been a precursor to the renewed activity of Vesuvius in AD 79, following a long dormant period. [3]

Damage

Bas-relief showing the damage to Pompeii's Temple of Jupiter during the earthquake, from the lararium of the House of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus. Pompei bassorilievo sul terremoto del 62 dC - Da Pompei P1100623.jpg
Bas-relief showing the damage to Pompeii's Temple of Jupiter during the earthquake, from the lararium of the House of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus.

The towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum both suffered major damage, with damage to some buildings also reported from Naples and Nuceria. [6] Seneca reported the death of a flock of 600 sheep that he attributed to the effects of poisonous gases. [7]

The House of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus in Pompeii, later destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, contained bas-reliefs showing damage to the city and its Temple of Jupiter during the earthquake of 62. The house's owner, Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, may have died during the earthquake. [9]

Aftermath

The damage caused by the mainshock and the subsequent series of tremors was at least partly repaired in both Pompeii and Herculaneum by the time of the AD 79 eruption. A pair of bas-reliefs, probably from the lararium in the house of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus in Pompeii, are interpreted as depicting the effects of the earthquake on structures including the Temple of Jupiter, the Aquarium of Caesar, and the Vesuvius Gate. [10]

The earthquake led Roman philosopher, statesman and dramatist Seneca the Younger to devote the sixth book of his Naturales quaestiones to the subject of earthquakes, describing the event of 5 February and giving the cause of earthquakes as the movement of air. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

AD 62 (LXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marius and Afinius. The denomination AD 62 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Vesuvius</span> Active stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy

Mount Vesuvius is a somma-stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about 9 km (5.6 mi) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuvius consists of a large cone partially encircled by the steep rim of a summit caldera, resulting from the collapse of an earlier, much higher structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcanism of Italy</span> Volcanic activity in Italy

The volcanism of Italy is due chiefly to the presence, a short distance to the south, of the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the African Plate. Italy is a volcanically active country, containing the only active volcanoes in mainland Europe. The lava erupted by Italy's volcanoes is thought to result from the subduction and melting of one plate below another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phlegraean Fields</span> Supervolcano located west of Naples, Italy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucius Caecilius Iucundus</span> 1st century CE Roman banker

Lucius Caecilius Iucundus was a banker who lived in the Roman town of Pompeii around AD 14–62. His house still stands and can be seen in the ruins of the city of Pompeii which remain after being partially destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. The house is known both for its frescoes and for the trove of wax tablets discovered there in 1875, which gave scholars access to the records of Iucundus' banking operations.

Quintus Caecilius Iucundus was the son of Lucius Caecilius Iucundus, a banker who lived in the Roman town of Pompeii around AD 14–62.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollena Trocchia</span> Comune in Campania, Italy

Pollena Trocchia is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region Campania, located about 11 km east of Naples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pompeii in popular culture</span>

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii has been frequently featured in literature and popular culture since its modern rediscovery. Pompeii was buried under 4 to 6 m of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pompeii</span> Ancient city near modern Naples, Italy

Pompeii was an ancient city in what is now the comune of Pompei near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and many surrounding villas, the city was buried under 4 to 6 m of volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herculaneum</span> Roman town destroyed by eruption of Mount Vesuvius

Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town, located in the modern-day comune of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The 1703 Apennine earthquakes were a sequence of three earthquakes of magnitude ≥6 that occurred in the central Apennines of Italy, over a period of 19 days. The epicenters were near Norcia, Montereale and L'Aquila, showing a southwards progression over about 36 kilometres (22 mi). These events involved all of the known active faults between Norcia and L'Aquila. A total of about 10,000 people are estimated to have died as a result of these earthquakes, although because of the overlap in areas affected by the three events, casualty numbers remain highly uncertain.

The 1694 Irpinia–Basilicata earthquake occurred on 8 September. It caused widespread damage in the Basilicata and Apulia regions of what was then the Kingdom of Naples, resulting in more than 6,000 casualties. The earthquake occurred at 11:40 UTC and lasted between 30 and 60 seconds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD</span> Eruption of a stratovolcano in southern Italy during the Roman Empire

Of the many eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, a major stratovolcano in southern Italy, the best-known is its eruption in 79 AD, which was one of the deadliest in history.

The 1930 Senigallia earthquake struck the city of Senigallia in central Italy on 30 October. It occurred just a few months after the destructive 1930 Irpinia earthquake, which had caused over 1,400 casualties in the southern part of the country.

The 1511 Idrija earthquake occurred on March 26 with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The epicenter was around the town of Idrija in present-day Slovenia, although some place it some 15-20 kilometers to the west, between Gemona and Pulfero in Friulian Slovenia. The earthquake affected a large territory between Carinthia, Friuli, present-day Slovenia and Croatia. An estimated twelve to fifteen thousand people were killed and damage was considered severe. The earthquake was felt as far as in Switzerland and present-day Slovakia. A number of castles and churches were razed to the ground in a large area from Northeastern Italy to western Croatia. Among the destroyed buildings were the castles of Udine and Škofja Loka, the monastery of the Teutonic Knights in Ljubljana; the Zagreb cathedral was severely damaged. Blaž Raškaj, commander of the Jajce fortess, in modern Bosnia, reported to the Hungarian Estates that the earthquake had severely damaged the fortifications.

The 1688 Sannio earthquake occurred in the late afternoon of June 5 in the province of Benevento of southern Italy. The moment magnitude is estimated at 7.0, with a Mercalli intensity of XI. It severely damaged numerous towns in a vast area, completely destroying Cerreto Sannita and Guardia Sanframondi. The exact number of victims is unknown, although it is estimated to total approximately 10,000. It is among the most destructive earthquakes in the history of Italy.

The 1626 Girifalco earthquake occurred on April 5 at 12:45. It was the strongest earthquake in a sequence that lasted from March 27 through to October of that year. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.0 Me and a maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli scale. It caused widespread destruction in Girifalco and Catanzaro, then part of the Kingdom of Naples. There is no precise estimate for the number of casualties, but it is thought to lie in the range 11–100. The earthquake may have been caused by movement on the NW-SE trending Stalettì-Squillace-Maida fault system.

The 1139 Ganja earthquake was one of the worst seismic events in history. It affected the Seljuk Empire and Kingdom of Georgia; modern-day Azerbaijan and Georgia. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.7 MLH, 7.5 Ms and 7.0–7.3 Mw. A controversial death toll of 230,000–300,000 came as a consequence of this event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1883 Casamicciola earthquake</span> Earthquake in Italy

The 1883 Casamicciola earthquake, also known as the Ischia earthquake occurred on 28 July at 20:25 local time on the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples in Italy. Although the earthquake had an estimated moment magnitude of 4.2–5.5, considered moderate in size, it caused intense ground shaking that was assigned XI (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. Between 2,313 and 3,100 people lost their lives. The city also suffered great property losses, with 80 percent of all homes destroyed. This earthquake was exceptionally destructive for its magnitude mainly due to its shallow focal depth.

References

  1. 1 2 National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (1972). "Significant Earthquake Information". NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K . Retrieved 4 February 2021.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ↑ "Magnitude 6.3 – CENTRAL ITALY 2009 April 06 01:32:42 UTC". USGS. 6 April 2009. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 Marzocchi, W.; Scandone R. & Mulargia F. (1993). "The tectonic setting of Mount Vesuvius and the correlation between its eruptions and the earthquakes of the Southern Apennines". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 58 (1–4): 27–41. Bibcode:1993JVGR...58...27M. doi:10.1016/0377-0273(93)90100-6.
  4. ↑ Guidoboni, E.; Ferrari, G.; Tarabusi, G.; Comatri, A.; Mariotti, D.; Sgattoni, G.; Valensise, G. (2018). "62 02 05, - Pompei (NA) (Italy)". CFTI5Med, Catalogo dei Forti Terremoti in Italia (461 a.C.-1997) e nell’area Mediterranea (760 a.C.-1500) (in Italian). Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). doi:10.6092/ingv.it-cfti5.
  5. ↑ Cubellis, E.; Marturano A. (2002). "Mt. Vesuvius: a macroseismic study of the earthquake of 9 October 1999". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 118 (3–4): 339–351. Bibcode:2002JVGR..118..339C. doi:10.1016/S0377-0273(02)00301-3.
  6. 1 2 3 Cubellis, E.; Luongo G. & Marturano A. (2007). "Seismic hazard assessment at Mt. Vesuvius: Maximum expected magnitude". Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 162 (3–4): 139–148. Bibcode:2007JVGR..162..139C. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.03.003.
  7. 1 2 3 Seneca. Naturales quaestiones. Vol. VI De Terrae Motu. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  8. ↑ De Carolis, E.; Patricelli, G. (2003). Vesuvius, A.D. 79: The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. L'Erma di Bretschneider. pp. 71–76. ISBN   978-88-8265-199-2 . Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  9. ↑ Butterworth, Alex; Laurence, Ray (2005). Pompeii: The Living City. London: Orion Books. p. 159. ISBN   0297645609.
  10. ↑ Cooley, A.; Cooley, M.G.L. (2004). Pompeii: a sourcebook. Routledge Sourcebooks for the Ancient World Series. Routledge. pp. 28–31. ISBN   978-0-415-26211-8 . Retrieved 29 April 2011.
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