The auncient ecclesiasticall histories of the first six hundred yeares after Christ, wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Cæsarea in Palæstina vvrote 10 bookes. Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes. Euagrius Scholasticus of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes. VVhereunto is annexed Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus, of the liues of the prophetes, apostles and 70 disciples. All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by Meredith Hanmer, Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie. Last of all herein is contayned a profitable chronographie collected by the sayd translator, the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume, with a copious index of the principall matters throughout all the histories

CAP. XII.

Of the earthquake whiche happened at Antioch three hundred forty seuen yeares after that whiche was in the time of Traian.

IN the seconde yeare of Leo the Emperours raigne, there was suche a marueylous great earth∣quake* 1.1 & shaking of the fundations at Antioch, that it can not sufficiently be described. before it beganne certaine people that were borne within the citie waxed mad, raued aboue measure, and seemed vnto vs farre to exceede all furious rage of brutishe flercenesse and crueltie, as a preamble forerunninge so great a calamitie. This grieuous earthquake happened the fiue hundred and sixth yeare after the citie was called Antioch, the fourteenth day of the moneth Gorpiaeus, after the Ro∣maines, September, about the fourth houre of the night, the Sunday goinge before, the eleuenth

course of the reuolution, three hundred forty seuen yeares after the earthquake vnder Traian. That earthquake was a hundred fifty and nine yeares after the grauntinge of the charter and incorpo∣ration of the citie: but this fell in the raigne of Leo, the fiue hundred and sixth yeare, as the histo∣riographers who diligently described the circumstances thereof haue left vs in writinge: It tur∣ned vpside downe, in manner all the buyldinge of this newe citie, beinge well peopled, without a wast corner, or ruinous peece of buyldinge, but all adorned and gorgeously sett forth by the boun∣tifulnesse of the Emperours, contendinge amonge themselues successiuely who shoulde passe o∣ther. Moreouer as ye goe in, the first and seconde lodginge of the pallace were ouerthrowen, the rest standinge vp with the bath adioyninge thereunto, which bath aforetime serued to no vse, yet then of necessitie by reason the other bathes wente to ruyne, supplyed their wante, and stoode the citie in good steede. the portly gates of the pallace, the place called the fouresquare porche, the vt∣ter turretts and galleries nighe the gates where their stage playes were kept, and some porches that came out thence, some part of the bathes of Traian, Seuerus, & Adrian, the adioyning Ostra∣cina, together with the porches & Nymphaeum were turned downe to the grounde, all whiche Iohn Rhetor hath largely discoursed of. he sayth further that in consideratiō of the premises, the Empe∣rour forgaue the citie a thousand talents of gold of the tribute which they payd him & released such citizens as sustained losse, of theyr rente, last of all, that he tooke vpon him to repayre the publique edifices.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anno Dom. 159.