Abstract
<p>Historical accounts, archaeoseismic and paleoseismological evidence allowed us to reappraise two earthquakes affecting northeastern Sicily and southern Calabria in the 1st (probably between 14 and 37) and 4th (likely between 361 and 363) centuries AD, to obtain a better reconstruction of their effects and to reconsider their sources.The 1st century event damaged the area from Oppido (Calabria) to Tindari (Sicily), roughly that of the February 6, 1783 Calabria earthquake. The similitude of these earthquakes is further stressed by the fact that they generated tsunamis, as recorded by historical data and by the tsunami deposits found at Capo Peloro, the oldest dated 0-125 AD, the youngest linked to the 1783 event. These earthquakes could be related to the same Calabria seismic source: the Scilla fault. Northeastern Sicily and southern Calabria were also damaged by one or more earthquakes in the 4th century AD and several towns were rebuilt/restored at that time. The hit area roughly coincides with that of the Messina 1908 earthquake suggesting similar seismic sources for the events. However, because close in time, historical descriptions of the 4th century Sicilian earthquake were mixed with those of the 365 Crete earthquake that generated a basin-wide tsunami most likely reaching also the Sicilian coasts. Reevaluating location, size, damage area and tsunamigenic potential of these two earthquakes of the 1st and 4th centuries AD is relevant for reassessing the seismogenic and tsunamigenic potential of the faults around the Messina Strait and the seismic hazard of the affected areas.</p>
Highlights
Historical earthquake records can provide a significant contribute to the characterization of the seismic sources and to the understanding of the seismic hazard of an area
Active tectonics in southern Calabria and northeastern Sicily is attested by the long-term uplift rate of the coast, by landscape imprint [Guarnieri and Pirrotta 2008], coastal morphology, structural evidence [e.g. Valensise and Pantosti 1992, Monaco and Tortorici 2000, Ferranti et al 2008], and by the frequent occurrence of strong and moderate earthquakes in recent and historical times
The analysis of available historical, archeoseismic and paleoseismic data allowed us to improve the knowledge of two earthquakes occurred in the 1st and 4th centuries AD in northeastern Sicily and southern Calabria
Summary
Historical earthquake records can provide a significant contribute to the characterization of the seismic sources and to the understanding of the seismic hazard of an area. Valensise and Pantosti 1992, Monaco and Tortorici 2000, Ferranti et al 2008], and by the frequent occurrence of strong and moderate earthquakes in recent and historical times These earthquakes, such as the 1783 sequence and the 1908 event, had a dramatic impact on the region, their association with the causative faults is still debated and they are often linked with different faults/seismogenic sources Due to the catalogue’s incompleteness it is possible that some events have been lost or misestimated, as shown by Galli and Scionti [2006] for northern Calabria, where they found archaeological and historical evidence of two unknown earthquakes occurred in the early 7th century. In this work we reappraise all the information available on these earthquakes, with the aim of better setting their dates of occurrence, defining their effects on the human and natural environment, and improving their characterization by defining their seismogenic sources
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