450 Earthquake: Instanbul (Constantinople), Turkey

450, January. Constantinople. Violent shocks. Lycosthenes gives the date 454. (reference #521)

450. 41.04 N, 28.98 E, intensity V. Vicinity of Istanbul. (reference #1071)

450, January. Sea of Marmara, Constantinople (tsunami intensity iii). Many Historians of the time mention an earthquake in Constantinople which occurred in January 450. From their narrations it appears that the shock was not very severe and that no damage of any magnitude was caused. Except Lycosthenes none of the authorities consulted mentions a seismic seawave. Lycosthenes, most probably referring to the earthquake at Constantinople of 447, says that: <<... the earth opened in many chasms, and many cities in Asia were overthrown. The sea abandoned its shores and fire appeared in the sky. The earthquake lasted for six months ...>> (reference #23)

...evidence points strongly to an earthquake on Sunday 26 January. The only year during Theodosius's reign in which the 26 January fell on a Sunday was AD 447, which would indicate that this event was not a later event on 26 January AD 450... (ref #9116)