46 Eruption of Santorini

46 AD July 6. Thera. At the same time as an eclipse of the Moon, probably following a subdued eruption, an islet, which became known as Theia, rose up from the sea between Thera and Therasia in the Cyclades.

This event is well documented by contemporary authors, including Seneca, who confirms that it happened in his own time and during the consulship of Valerius Asiaticus (AD 46). Dio Cassius dates it Roman year 800 (AD 47), while St Jerome gives the fifth year of Olympiad CCVI (AD 45), and notes the length of the island as 30 stadia (5.5 km). Orosius (writing early in the fifth century AD) dates it to the fifth year of Claudius (AD 45-46).

Since Aurelis Victor mentions that it happened on the same night as a lunar eclipse, there is a chance of dating the eruption accurately. Schove and Fletcher (1987, 9-11) derive several dates, noting that the most popular is 31 December AD 46, because this would embrace both Seneca's date of AD 46 and Dio's of AD 47. However, he thinks that 6 July AD 46 is more probable because the eclipse would have been distinctly noticeable by about 8.53 pm, and consequently more likely to be recorded.

Modern cataloguers associated this eruption with the Crete earthquake of 62-64, dating it 53/52/66. Guidoboni (1989, 661-662), Guidoboni et al. (1994, 193-194) associate this eruption at Thera with the Crete earthquake of 62-64, dating it 53/52/66 for which I have no evidence.

(above from reference #9116)

46 AD Dec 31 - 47 AD Feb 1 +30 days. Thia Island. Eruptive Characteristics:

Central vent eruption,

Regional fissure eruption,

Submarine eruption,

New island formation,

Explosive eruption,

Lava flow(s),

Lava dome extrusion,

Tsunami (giant sea waves). (reference #1412)