60 Earthquake: Laodicea, Hierapolis, Colossae, [pamukkale], Turkey

60 A.D. Late in AD 60 an earthquake destroyed Laodicaea (Denizli), as well as Hierapolis and Colossae near modern Pamkkale in Turkey. Laodicaea suffered more than the other two cities, but owing to its great wealth, was rebuilt out of its own resources without requiring any aid from the imperial government in Rome.

Tacitus records that Laodicaea was destroyed by an earthquake in Nero's seventh year, in which he made Tigranes king of Armenia (AD 60): he adds that Laodicaea was rebuilt out of its own resources, without assistance from Rome. According to Eusebius, Laodicaea, Hierapolis and Colossae all fell in the same earthquake, which he dates ... AD 64-65. Saint Jerome gives ... AD 64.

Since these cities are only a few miles apart, it is quite possible they were hit by the same earthquake. A ninth-century chronicler reports the same as Eusebius ... adding that this was at the same time as fires in Rome. It is widely believed that in dating this event to AD 64 Eusebius and St Jerome have in fact synchronised this Asian earthquake with that in Pompeii in AD 64, thus presenting a series of calamities, earthquakes in Asia and Italy and a fire in Rome, which makes those events seem far more portentous than would have been the case had they happened at different times. Fellows (A Journal Written during an Excursion in Asia Minor, London, 1839) notes that the ruins of Laodicaea show early earthquake damage.

(above from reference #9116)

60 A.D., 37.9 N, 29.2 E, intensity IX, at Pamukkale and Denizli. (reference #1071)

58 or 60 A.D., earthquake affected the cities of Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse in Phyrgia. (reference #521)