January 26, 447 Tsunami: Marmara Sea, Turkey

447. Tsunami reliability 1. 40o12 N, 28 E. Disastrous earthquake in Constantinople, affecting Thrace, Phrygias, Troad, Bithynia and Hellespont. On the date of occurrence there are some discrepancies: some authors date the shock on Jan 26, some others on Nov 8. In addition, there is a doublet of this event in a later one dated to 26 Jan 450, recorded in a chronicle, but in fact non-existent. Many coeval and historical sources report detailed description of the shock. Some of these report the occurrence of a seismic sea wave causing inundations and leaving many vessels stranded. Nicomedia, metropolis of Bytinia, was raized to the ground and flooded by the sea (ref #10488). Further references: (refs #10479, #9285). (ref #4139)

447, Nov. Sea of Marmara. Marmara Islands, Dardanelles, and the coasts of Marmara, Constantinople. (ref #15)

447, Nov 8. Marmara Sea. 40.2 N, 28 E, magnitude 7.3. (ref #330)

447, Jan 26. 40o54'N, 28o30'E, magnitude 7.3, I=VIII. Tsunami reliability 1. (ref #2427)

447, Nov 8 (possibly 450, Jan; 454, Sept 3). Sea of Marmara, Straits of Dardanelles and Bosporus. Earthquakes occurred in Constantinople over a period of 4 (or 6) months. Inhabitants gripped by fear left the city, but nobody was killed. One of the earthquakes was destructive and was felt from Thrace in the north up to Troy in the south. The earth was cracked; the sea receded from the shore. The waves flooded many islands in the Sea of Marmara; fish were cast ashore. Sailing vessels ran aground when the water level receded. The Sea of Marmara and the Strait of Dardanelles, i=4; Constantinople, i=3; 40.2 N, 28.0 E, I=IX, M=7.3, i=4. Listed as likely tsunami(ref #2130)

447, Jan 26. Constantinople, Nicomedea. There was a destructive earthquake on Sunday night, 26 Jan 447, which affected a large area that included parts of the provinces of Bithynia, of the two Phyrgiae and of the Hellespont... The shock was possibly followed by a sea wave casting ships and fish onto the land, although this is not certain... evidence points strongly to an earthquake on Sunday 26 Jan. The only year during Theodosius's reign in which the 26 Jan fell on a Sunday was AD 447, which would indicate that this event was not a later event on 26 Jan AD 450... (ref #9116)

447, Nov. Sea of Marmara. Marmara islands, Dardanelles and the Coasts of Marmara (iv-), Constantinople (iii). During the beginning of Nov 447 AD, a disastrous earthquake occurred in Constantinople. The shock was felt in Thrace, Phrygias, Troad, Bithynia and in the Hellespont and caused heavy damage. This event is described in many contemporary writings, and from Evagrios we learn that:

[…] The shock was so violent that many fortresses were thrown to the ground and the long walls at Kherronisos collapsed. In many places chasms opened into the ground and many towns perished in them. Many other misfortunes occurred, both on land as well as at sea. Springs ceased to flow and new ones burst forth. Trees were flung up roots and all and landslides changed the shape of mountains. From the sea dead fish was hurled violently on shore and many islands were inundated; and when the sea retired sailing ships were left standing on shore. The two Phrygias Bythinia and the Hellespontos suffered. This calamity persisted for a long time, though not with the same violence as it began; with time the shaking faded out until it stopped ...>>

This earthquake seems to have centered on the northern part of the Marmara area, and although Evagrios does not name the islands which were flooded by the sea-wave, it seems probable that they were the islets in the Sea of Marmara.

All historians concerned agree in the date of this event which can be placed in the first week of Nov 447 AD.

(above from ref #23)

Refs #11164 (v.2) and #9275 state definite tsunami, using Nov. 06 date.