Archeoseismology in Sicily: past earthquakes and effects on society

Abstract

This work presents a review of archeological evidence of strong earthquakes occurring in Sicily at a time of Greek and Roman colonization, a period of considerable political, economic and social instability. In this historical context, the earthquake effects may have been obscured or overlooked to some extent and consequently the documentary information on ancient earthquakes, when available, is often sparse and lacking objectivity. The studied cases combine historical and archaeological data together with the evidence of structural damage to archaeological sites. Looking into past, the vocation of archaeoseismology lies in the identification of past seismic events, and particularly what the ancient society knew on earthquakes, and what kind of seismic effects produced on buildings and sites.