Research published in spring 2023 found that an ancient tsunami once destroyed medieval Caesarea, Israel, but also drew some parallels to modern-day America.
Evidence uncovered by a series of international researchers from Israel and the U.S. found a complex destruction sequence that occurred in the mid-8th century, causing catastrophe and near-total collapse of Caesarea both physically and socially. Expanding upon the new evidence and ancient understanding of the period, the researchers found that economic collapse, evolving political climates, and then a massive tsunami and earthquake led to its destruction.
“This study recognizes how coastal sites suffer from earthquakes and tsunamis. In the past 10-15 years, we’ve come to understand that tsunamis pose more of a risk than we were originally aware of,” study author Dr. Goodman Tchernov told The Jerusalem Post. “This study is the first published evidence of a tsunami deposit on land at the site.”
It all happened in 536 ADhttps://t.co/6jbvTRON5X
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 13, 2023
Understanding our vulnerabilities from social, environmental, and geological threats against our civilization is best done when we fully understand and appreciate our past. Caesarea (previously known as Caesarea Maritima) was a place of huge historical significance, according to BiblePlaces.
The harbor could accommodate some 300 ships, and was far more vast than the harbor that exists there today. It almost sounds to me like an ancient-times version of California. (RELATED: ‘Ancient Apocalypse’ Is Revolutionary, Beautiful, A True Must-See Series)
California is an economic nightmare that is being actively destroyed by progressive politicians who seemingly hate their constituents. It is also a hub of economic growth, and home to one of the largest ports in the world.
Oh, and it is also a hotbed for geological phenomena, such as massive earthquakes. When most people think of California, their mind goes to the San Andreas fault, which is definitely dangerous. But it has nothing on the Cascadia fault (subduction zone) that stretches from Vancouver all the way down to Cape Mendocino, California, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network notes.
This faultline has historically triggered some of the most violent, lengthy, and destructive earthquakes on the planet, as well as potentially massive tsunamis. (RELATED: Netflix Documentary Could Rewrite All Of Human History)
After Caesarea was initially destroyed and abandoned, it took just a few short decades for people to reclaim the land. The Jerusalem Post took this as a positive spin to the end of a cataclysmic story. My feelings are a little different, especially given the degree of death caused by our social and environmental crises, all of which seem to blind us from the constant threat of geological doom.