33 Earthquake: Palestine, Israel

This event is listed in numerous earthquake catalogues/publications, including: References #521, #1055, #1222, #4200, #10419

However, Reference #9116 regards this event as low validity. Excerpts from Reference #9116 (Ambraseys, N., (2009). Earthquakes in the Mediterranean and Middle East: a multidisciplinary study of seismicity up to 1900. Cambridge University Press) are below, which include a primary source summary:

“33 A.D. Jerusalem. This earthquake(s) […] in Jerusalem, caused darkness over all the land, tombs to open and the ground to split open.

The source for this information is the Gospel according to St Matthew, who mentions two earthquakes. The first, which occurred at the time of the Crucifixion, caused the rock tombs to break open […]

The second earthquake occurred after the Resurrection […]

Researchers can only narrow the possible years down to AD 33 and 34, the former being more probable (Pratt 1991; Firpo 1989).

These earthquakes are mentioned only by one Evangelist and by chroniclers who used St Matthew as their sole source. [...] probably recorded these events because he had Amos's earthquake in mind. It would also be consistent with St Matthew's style for these two earthquakes to be in fact two accounts of the same event from different witnesses, both included for their theological significance [12, 13].

Later writers seem to opt for the Crucifixion earthquakes in order to symbolise the cosmic proportions of Christ's death, but they link these events, which occurred in Jerusalem, to an earthquake and eclipse of the Sun that, in fact, occurred a year earlier in Ol.202/Tib.18 (AD 32-33), not in Jerusalem but in Nicaea in Bithynia (Oppolzer 1962). The earthquake in Nicaea is also mentioned by St Jerome, who, however, does not mention Jerusalem. Eusebius does not mention the solar eclipse, but he does notice, in passing, the earthquake at Christ's crucifixion, which he dates to the 19th year of Tiberius (33 AD). The account of Orosius (early fifth century), who also does not mention Jerusalem, is very similar to Eusebius's [16], adding only that Emperor Tiberius exempted the damaged cities in Bithynia in Asia Minor from tribute and gave generous donations towards repairs.

The fact that these earthquakes in Jerusalem are not mentioned by contemporary pagan writers, or by three out of the four Evangelists, suggests that they may have been inspired by the topos of Nature's reflecting events of great importance, and hence must not be considered to refer to historical earthquakes.”

Additional references:

33 A.D. Bithynia and Palestine. At the crucifixion. The city of Nisaea was destroyed. (reference #521)

33 A.D. Palestine, Jerusalem. (reference #1222)

33 A.D. Bithynie, Judea: Jerusalem. (reference #4200)

33 A.D. Asia Minor, Bithynia and Palestine. Intensity I which corresponds to an earthquake of intensity sufficient to crack walls, break chimneys, to shatter old buildings or to produce cracks in the ground. (reference #1055)

33 A.D. Judea, Jerusalem: slight. Damage to Temple. (reference #10419)