A critical overview of the January-February 1703 seismic sequence in central Italy

Historical seismic sequences with multiple mainshocks or strong foreshocks and
aftershocks make it difficult to attribute the damage distribution to one earthquake
rather than another. As a matter of fact, historical reports often describe the cumulative
picture of effects, preventing a correct reconstruction of what happened during the
different earthquakes. This paper proposes a review of the catastrophic seismic
sequence that hit central Italy starting from January 1703. The sequence is currently
quoted in some seismic catalogs with three mainshocks that occurred on January 14
and 16, and February 2, with magnitudes ranging between 6.0 and 6.9. The aim of this
paper is to reconsider the sequence on a chronological basis, trying to reconstruct the
impact of each single event, taking into account the damage progression when
assigning macroseismic intensity. Through this approach, the earthquakes already
quoted in the catalog are reassessed as faithfully as possible, with a richer framework
of knowledge than in the past.