Erschütterte Welt

The ancient world was well-acquainted with the phenomenon of earthquakes, particularly the inhabitants of the eastern Mediterranean region, many of whom were regularly confronted with seismic convulsions. An abundance of written sources and archaeological findings attests to their resilience and coping strategies. The catastrophes attract the special interest of historians because the debates they triggered went far beyond the event itself to reveal deeper social, economic and ideological structures. Jonas Borsch examines several regions and places closely associated with earthquakes. What he finds by looking at the resulting discussions, the resilience of the societies involved, and their religious as well as material coping strategies, is brought into relation with historical disaster research through a diachronic comparison.