315 Earthquake: Aeropolis, Israel

315. Aeropolis, on the Dead Sea. (reference #521)

315. The original name of Areopolis, Rabbath-Moab, the capital of Moab, has remained nearly unaltered up to this day, for the ruins of this town are still called Er-Rabba, whilst not a trace subsists in the memory of the inhabitants of the country, of the comparatively modern appellation of Areopolis... We are thus fully informed as to the nature of the garrison in Areopolis and on the banks of the Arnon at the period when the Notitia was published... The last mention of Areopolis which I find made in the ancient writers is from the pen of St. Jerome. Ir runs as follows: "Audivi quemdam Areopoliten, sed et omnis civitas testis est, motu terrae magno in mea infantia, quando totius orbis littus transgressa sunt maria, eadem nocte muros urbis istius corriusse." [I have heard of this Areopolis (when it still existed), but the whole city can vouch for the truth of my assertion, that in the time of my childhood, from the effects of a tremendous earthquake, when the sea broke over the shores of the whole earth, the walls of this town were overthrown in a single night.] From the writings of Ammiamnus Marcellinus it has been ascertained that this event took place in the year of our Lord 315, under the consulate of Valentinian and Valens. This date is of very great importance of the monuments of Areopolis and amongst them that of the Roman gate, the state of which at the present day exhibits the most decisive evidence of the severity of the earthquake by which it was partially overthrown. (reference #10520)