By March 14, 2017 Read More →

January 16th, 748 Earthquake

Synagogues/ Schmitta

According to Michael the Syrian, Tiberias was then completely destroyed, with the exception of the home of one man whose name was ‘Īsā.

Thirty Jewish synagogues in the town were also laid waste and the Jewish bath-houses were also destroyed. According to Ibn Muqqaffa’, the quake took place on the 16th of January, and Agapius also mentions the month of January.

Kedrenos mentions the 18th of January, but he is off the mark with regard to the year.

It is possible that this earthquake determined the setting of a fast called ‘the fast of the Sabbatical years’. Indeed, the year of the earthquake, AM 4508, was a Sabbatical year.

Source: A History of Palestine 634 – 1099. Moshe Gil. (p. 89). Section [102] 73.

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