August 8, 1303 Earthquake: Crete, Greece

1303, Aug 8. Hellenic Arc. A large lower-crust earthquake, originating on the Hellenic Arc on 8 Aug 1303, caused widespread damage in the Eastern Mediterranean region that was in places quite serious. Almost all authors date the event during the first hour of the day on Thursday 8 Aug 1303, or on Thursday morning 23 Dhu'l-Hijja 702 a.H., which are consistent. The exceptions are 7 Aug 1303 and Pachymeris, who places the earthquake on 8 Posideon (Aug), but he does not mention the year explicitly, implying that this event happened during the 22nd year of Andronicos (11 Dec 1303 to 10 Dec 1304), which is a year too high... Damage was serious in the eastern part of the island [Crete], where fortified sites were ruined together with villages and towns, leading to the deaths of about 4000 people. (ref #9116)

Ambraseys (ref #15) and Antonopolous (ref #20 and #26) list two tsunamigenic earthquakes in the Mediterranean in 1303. One on Aug 8 with an epicentral area south-east of Cairo, and another in Dec centered in the Lybian sea. But Ambraseys (ref #9116) lists one earthquake on Aug 8, 1303.

Aug 8, 1303, earthquake generated a tsunami observed on Egyptian coasts, Syrian coasts (iv), Crete(?). (ref #15)

Dec 1303, earthquake generated a tsunami observed on Crete, Southwest coasts of Peloponnesus and Rhodes, Egyqtiann coasts and Adriatic Sea. (ref #15)

Aug 8, 1303, 36.5 N, 27.5 E, intensity X, earthquake generated a tsunami observed on Egyptian coasts, Syrian coasts, Crete. (ref #20)

Dec 1303, earthquake generated a tsunami observed on Crete, Southwest coasts of Peloponnesus and Rhodes, Egyptian coasts and Adriatic Sea. (ref #20)

August (December) 8, 1303 or 1304, Eastern part of the Mediterranean sea, 36.3 N, 27.3 E, intensity XI, magnitude 8. A catastrophic earthquake. Many castles on the Island of Crete collapsed. The town of Rhodes on the island of the same name was destroyed almost completely. Akko suffered in Palestine, Damascus, Zefat (Safad)--in Syria (now Israel), one half of the latter was destroyed. All buildings without exception in Cairo were damaged; many houses and mosques collapsed. The cities of Coronea, Methone, and others on the Peloponnesus Peninsula suffered seriously. It was felt weakly in Constantinople and, possibly, in Venice. On the Island of Crete, the sea rushed toward Candia. (ref #2130)

Aug 8, 1303 (AH 702 Dhu'l-Hijja 23): Egypt and Syria were struck by a violent earthquake; many persons were buried under the ruins. The shocks lasted for 40 days and the sea advancing submerged half of the city of Alexandria. (ref #1098)

1303. Cairo (intensity IX), Alexandria (intensity VIII), Luxor (intensity IX), Safad (intensity VIII), Damascus (intensity VIII); felt at Hama, Acre, Antioch, Cyprus, Cyrenaica, Sicily, Cabes. (ref #1222)

1303 Aug 08, 35.00 N, 27.00 E, magnitude 8.0. (ref #11164 and 2840)