10 Natural Disasters of Ancient Times in Antiquity

1. 10 Natural Disasters of Ancient Times in Antiquity From around 1000 AD back in time until 4.500 BC.

2. 10: Damghan Earthquake – Iran, 856 AD The Damghan Earthquake was an earthquake of magnitude 7.9, that struck a 200-mile (320 km) stretch of Iran on 22 December, 856 A.D. The earthquake’s epicenter was said to be directly below the city of Damghan, which was then the capital of Iran. It caused approximately 200,000 deaths, making it the fifth deadliest earthquake in recorded history. The earthquake was caused by the Alpide earthquake belt, a name for the geologic force that created a mountain range named the Alpide belt, which is among the most seismically active areas on earth.

3. – Eastern Roman Empire,541 AD 9: Plague of Justinian The Plague of Justinian was a pandemic that afflicted the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), including its capital Constantinople, in the years 541–542 AD.The most commonly accepted cause of the pandemic is bubonic plague, which later became infamous for either causing, or for contributing to, the Black Death of the 14th century. The plague’s social and cultural impact during this period is comparable to that of the Black Death. In the views of 6th century Western historians, it was nearly worldwide in scope, striking central and south Asia, North Africa and Arabia, and Europe as far north as Denmark and as far west as Ireland. Until about 750, the plague would return with each generation throughout the Mediterranean basin. The wave of disease would also have a major impact on the future course of European history. Modern historians named this plague incident after the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I, who was in power at the time. He contracted the disease, but was one of a limited number of survivors. The death toll from this series of plagues was an unbelievable 40 to 100 million.

4. – Antioch, 526 AD 8: Antioch Earthquake In late May 526 AD an earthquake struck in Syria and Antioch which were then part of the Byzantine empire. The death toll was a massive 250,000.The quake caused the port of Seleucia Pieria to rise up by nearly one meter resulting in the silting of the harbor. It was the 3rd deadliest earthquake of all time. The quake is estimated to have been over 7 on the Richter scale (VIII on the Mercalli scale).After the earthquake a fire broke out which razed all buildings that had not already been destroyed.

5. 7: Crete Earthquake & Alexandria Tsunami Greece and N. Africa, July 21, 365 AD On July 21, 365 AD, an earthquake occurred under the Mediterranean Sea. It is thought that the earthquake was centered near the Greek island of Crete and that it was a magnitude eight or greater. It destroyed nearly all of the towns on the island. It would have also caused damage in other areas of Greece, Libya, Cyprus and Sicily.After the earthquake, a tsunami caused significant damage in Alexandria, Egypt and other areas. It was documented best in Alexandria. Writings from the time tell us that ships were carried as far as two miles inland by the wave. A description by Ammianus Marcellinus describes the effect of the earthquake and the resulting tsunami in detail. He wrote of how the earth shook and then the ocean receded in Alexandria and how a great wave inundated the city with seawater. It is estimated that thousands of people were killed.

6. 6: The Antonine Plague – Roman Empire, 165 AD–180 AD The Antonine Plague is named after one of its possible victims, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, the Emperor of Rome. It is otherwise known as the plague of Galen.Galen was a Greek physician who documented the plague. Judging by his description, historians believe that the Antonine Plague was caused by smallpox or measles. We can call this plague a natural disaster because it was caused by a naturally occurring disease and it killed a significant number of people. The Antonine Plague is thought to have come from Roman soldiers returning from battle in the east. Over time, it spread throughout the Roman Empire and some of the tribes to the north. An estimated 5 million people were killed by the Antonine plague. During a second outbreak, a Roman historian named Dio Cassius wrote that 2,000 people were dying each day in Rome. That’s roughly one-fourth of those who were infected.

7. – Bay of Naples, Pompeii Italy, August 24, 79 AD 5: Eruption of Mount Vesuvius The 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and the subsequent destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, reminds us of the awesome power of this active volcano. In fact, Vesuvius may be the most dangerous volcano on Earth. There are more people living in its vicinity than any other active volcano. Furthermore, it is most certainly going to erupt again. When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it warned the people with an earthquake, which was ignored. The earthquake was later followed by the expulsion of volcanic debris and the appearance of an ominous cloud over the mountain. Pompeii was only 5 miles from the volcano; Herculaneum was even closer. The people of these towns died as one might expect victims of a volcano to die; they choked, burned and were subsequently covered in volcanic debris and run off. What makes this ancient natural disaster so interesting is the evidence we have of it. For more than 1500 years, Pompeii lay buried in Italy. It was found when residents were cleaning up after another major eruption, in 1631 AD. It was not completely uncovered until the 20th century. Then, people learned all to well the horrible fate that had befallen its ancient residents. The agony of their deaths has been immortalized in plaster. Because their bodies rotted away long ago, while entombed in volcanic rock, cavities, like those found in fossils, were left behind. These were filled with plaster and what came out were near-perfect statues of the people who died in Pompeii, as they had died. There were thousands of victims. Today, there could be millions.

8. Disasters Before Christ (B.C.) 0  A.D –Helike, Greece, 373 BC 4: Helike Tsunami & Earthquake Helike was an ancient Greek city that in the winter of 373 BC. was destroyed and submerged in the Gulf of Corinth by an earthquake and a tsunami. It remains submerged to this day. Ancient writers commented on the destruction and some mentioned that you could see the ruins beneath the water for hundreds of years after the disaster. It is assumed that a vast number of people lost their lives, but how many is uncertain.The search for Helike did not begin until the end of the past century. Since then, relics of Helike and, interestingly, other towns have been found. Walls, walkways, coins and more have been viewed and photographed. This is yet another possible scene of Atlantis, according to some. However, the destruction of Helike happened in Plato’s lifetime. He wrote that Atlantis happened long before his time. A number of other, smaller, natural disasters occurred throughout ancient times. People were subject to them then as much as we are today. It makes you wonder how many civilizations were destroyed by natural disaster that we have no knowledge of, as of yet.

9. 3: End Ice Age & Earth’s Ocean Level Rise 130 m./300 ft. 1600-1500 B.C, due to ice melt, a permanent global inundation of all continental coastlines, incl. flooding of the Black Sea & the sea-empire of ‘Atlantis’! When the Ice Age came to an end, due to real climate change as the oceans cooled down to the present day level, the huge kilometers thick ice caps of the North and on mountain ranges began to melt and the rains (and snows!) lessened. The results of the ice-melt were disastrous! Entire low lying land areas were submerged in sea water, and islands like Ireland and England shrunk down to their present size. The entire area between Norway, Denmark, Holland, England, once called Doggerland, was submerged and became the North Sea! Taiwan and China were separated whereas before they were one landmass. (Red parts in map are now under water!) Before, it was possible to walk all the way from Thailand via Indonesia to Australia, but it became islands separated by sea!One especially cataclysmic inundation took place in the Black Sea, once called the Euxine Lake. It used to be much smaller and the original coast-line much lower. The Russian icecap melt-water made the Dnjepr river widen out, transporting trillions of tons of water into the lake. Celtic and Thracian tribes had to flee their towns. The water finally broke through the Rhode river and became the Dardanelles (named after King Dardanus around the time of Troy) into the Aegean sea, severely inundating coastlines and islands like Samo-Thrace with a great tsunami. Actually not more than 4.500 years old!

10. FINALLY SOME HONEST “SCIENTISTS!” Climate ChangeCausedDrought! Melting of the Ice caps caused enormous coastal flooding! When the Ice Age rains lessened due to real climate change, as the oceans cooled down to present day levels, a huge swath of N. Africa turned into the Sahara desert! The formerly well-watered Indus Valley civilisation in Pakistan/India came to an end. Fertile Mesopotamia became mostly desert, except around the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and also many lands in Meso-America and Australia dried out! So, not only were coastal lands submerged by sea water, but entire areas suffered severe draught forcing its populations to migrate and find better watered areas, causing ethnic conflicts and wars. The lessening rain caused permanent droughts in the Sahara, Middle East, Indus valley and elsewhere, prompting large tribal migrations throughout the world, like the Sea peoples trying to take over Egypt and Olmecs landing in Mexico. HEY! BUT.. THE “SCIENTISTS PUT THE ICE AGE 10-20.000 YEARS AGO! HOW COULD THAT BE?! Check out those 3.500 years old deserts!

11. –Islands of Santorini and Crete, Greece, 1645 BC 2: Minoan Eruption Sometime around 1645 BC, a volcano blew up on the island of Santorini. The massive eruption caused widespread damage on both Santorini and the nearby island of Crete. At the time, the Minoans occupied both islands. The town on Santorini was not rediscovered until modern times. It is assumed that the ancient inhabitants of these islands picked up warnings that the volcano was going to erupt, and heeded them. No victims of the eruption, if there were any, have been found. Furthermore, it appears as if all transportable, valuable items were removed prior to the eruption. Nonetheless, archaeologists have discovered that buildings and large belongings remained. A NEWSANTORINI BUILT ON THE CRATER WALL OF THE CALDERA!

12. Entire original mono-continent now called ‘Pangaea’ 2400- 2350 B.C. 1: The Global Deluge What caused it.. The earth’s antediluvian crust got ripped and cracked by the explosive mega-force of the super-hot (374ºC / 705ºF) super-critical water under 4 K-bar pressure, able to melt granite in sub-crust cavities, which suddenly exploded when it found a hairline of weakness in the earth’s crust. It turned into “fountains of the earth!” The water ripped open a crack in the earth’s crust all around the world with the power of billions of nuclear explosions. Debris and water shot up so high that some of it escaped gravity and hit the closest side of the moon. That is why the Moon’s biggest craters (mares) are on this side of the Earth, whereas one would expect them to be on the other side, unprotected by Earth against asteroids coming from space. (cont.) Super-Critical Water!

13. Thus The First Disaster of Ancient History Turned Out to Be the Greatest! First But Not Least! The pre-Flood mountains were lower than today and thus flood-levels were not as high as some speculate. Nevertheless the entire earth was a devastating scene of powerful tsunamis going back and forth, depositing sedimentary rock-strata of mud, sand, and debris mixed with corpses of men, animals, and super-size vegetation of pre-flood times, which under the pressure of layers of sediment turned quickly into fossils! Vast mats of vegetation were buried under rocks and pressed into coal seams. Plant and animal fossils from the antediluvian world show that pre-Flood flora, fauna and people were many times bigger than today! And so the 30-meter thick coal-seam above required a 300 meter mat of vegetation, as tall as the Eiffel Tower! The thickest 138 M one in India, required 1380 M! Almost a mile thick, taller than FOUR Eiffel towers thick vegetation mat! Wow! For more true history, visit: www.powerpointparadise.com

14. “They were eating, drinking, building and planting, and marrying and giving in marriage, and they knew it not, until the Flood took them all away!” ...so shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of Man! Be prepared! Watch and pray! For he comes as a thief in the night. Jesus loves you and wants your love too! Receive Him today! As it was in the Days of Noah.. For more true history, visit: www.powerpointparadise.com