Code

Date BC

Location

Phenomenon

Description

Remarks

A

2983 March 28

Scotland

Solar eclipse

Mr. L. MacLellan Mann  claimed to have identified this eclipse from markings on a stone at Langside and Cleuch, near Glasgow. 

M

2668

Ireland

Flood?

The Age of the World, 2532.  The eruption of Loch Con and Loch Techeat in this year.

"no reliance…can be placed on the dates assigned to      (these) events."  (Britton)

M

2667

Ireland

Flood?

Eruption of Lake Maseg. 

M

2665

Ireland

Flood?

Eruption of Lake Laghlin and Lake Eachtra.

M

2654

Ireland

Flood?

A poisonous inundation of the sea and seven lakes overflowed. 

M

2341

Ireland

Flood?

Lake Arbreach and Lake Annim in Midia overflowed. 

A

1770? 

Unknown

Comet?

Venus changed colour, size, figure and track.

Pingré,Cometographie (1783) dated this 1770

M

1694

Ireland

Flood?

Nine lakes erupted. 

M

1690

Ireland

Flood?

Ethneus in the kingdom of the Nialls erupted. 

M

1629

Ireland

Flood?

Nine lakes erupted.

G

1606

Israel

Earthquake

An earthquake on Mount Sinai.  "Accompanied by thunder and lightning; on the occasion of the delivery of the law."

Exodus, xix. 18. 

G

Between 1604 and 1586

Arabia

Earthquake

An earthquake in Arabia.  Korah, Dathan and Abiram swallowed up.

Numbers, xvi,. 31

A?

1600 (c.)

Israel

Solar phen.?

"…the standing still of the sun and moon '"

Joshua, vi.

G

1566

Jericho

Earthquake

The walls of the city of Jericho were thrown down.

M

1544

Ireland

Flood?

Three dark rivers erupted, Subna, Torannia and Cullan.

A

1495

Ethiopia

Comet?

"A terrible (comet)…was seen… in Ethiopia and Egypt, which the King who reigned in that Age named Typhon…not…a Star, but truly a Ball of Fire."

Pliny

G

1450 (c.)

Italy

Earthquake

Lacus Cimini. A city swallowed up,  a lake produced in its place.

M

1449

Ireland

Flood

Three rivers, Flaesc, Mand and Labrand erupted.

A

1375 

May 3 

China

Solar eclipse

Uharit. ''Sun put to shame; went down in daytime'.

A

1140

Babylon

CM

'…a comet arose whose body was bright like the day, while from its luminous body a tail extended, like the sting of a scorpion'."

A

1059 (c.?) 

China

Comet

A broom star comet appeared with the handle… pointing east.

M

1031 

Ireland

Flood?

Eruption of five rivers. 

M

1023

Ireland

Snow

Huge snow with a vinous taste.

A

1002 

Unknown

Comet?

A comet was seen in Leo (uncertain event)

A

963 spring

China

Comet

A bushy star comet appeared in the north polar region.

G

900  c.

Israel

Earthquake

An earthquake after Elijah had prayed for rain from heaven.

1 Kings, xix. 11 

G

900 c.

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake at the Alban Lake in Italy.

G

880 

Palestine

Earthquake

An earthquake in Palestine.

(or between 880 and 870)

M

766

Ireland

Fall

Iit rained blood three days.

A

762

 June 15

Palestine

Solar eclipse

'And on that day', said the Lord God 'I will make the sun go down at noon, and dark on the earth in broad daylight'."

A total solar eclipse in the Eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor, 762 June 15 (Oppolzer).

M

716 July 5

Rome

Tornado?

Romulus vanished in thundertorm & whirlwind

Plutarch

A

709 July 17

China

Solar eclipse

An eclipse of the Sun occurred and it was total. 

G

696-693

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption(s). 

(or 456-453 BC)

A?

687?   

Israel

Solar phen.?

"Behold, I willl bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.  So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down." 

A

687  March 23 

China

Meteor shower

In the middle of the night stars fell like a rain."

M

665

Snow

Abundance of snow.  Also dated 1023 BC.

A?

652 c. 

Italy

Fall

A  shower of stones on the Alban Mount

A

647

April 6

Greece

Eclipse

" Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining sun, and sore fear came upon men."

Toal solar eclipse in the Mediterranean, 647 BC April 6 (Oppolzer)

A

633

China

Comet

A broom star comet appeared in Auriga

A

616

China

Meteorite

Meteorite fall k. 10 men, broke several chariots

A

613  autumn

China

Comet

A broom star comet entered the constellation of the Great Bear.

M?

611 

Africa

Fall

A rain of 'pitch' fell on North Africa between Tripoli and Cyrene

A

601  Sept.12

China

Solar eclipse

Ying (?).  A total eclipse of the Sun was observed.

G

595

China

Earthquake

An earthquake in China.

A

585

May 28

Asia Minor

Solar eclipse

"This eclipse, which (ended the) war between the Medes and the Lydians…during a battle, 'day was suddenly turned into night' "

Herodotus

A

556 (c.) 

Greece

Obscuration

"The King of the Persians beseiged (Larissa)…But a cloud (νεφέλη) covered the Sun and caused it to disappear completely."

Herodotus

G

550

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in Lacedamon.  A portion of Mount Taygetus thrown down.

(or between this date  and 530)

A

549

June 12

China

Solar eclipse

Chu-fu.  A total eclipse of the Sun was observed.

M

538

Ireland

Snow

"Raigned snow continually that year".  Also dated 1023 BC.

A

532 spring

China

Comet?

A new star was seen in Aquarius.

A

525 winter

China

Comet

A bushy star comet appeared near Antares.

A

516

China

Comet

A broom star comet

M

506

Ireland

Flood

Eruption of Lake Melgius.

M

503

Italy

Aurora

Flaming spears appeared at midnight on a burning sky.

A

500

China

Comet

A broom star comet

G

500  c. 

Italy

Earthquake

The island of Ischia experienced earthquakes.

M?

500  c.

Italy

Lightning?

Bolsena was entirely burnt up by a thunderbolt.

G

486

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in the island of Delos

A

482 winter

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

481 winter

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

480

Greece

Comet

A comet shaped like a horn

A?

480  spring   

Asia Minor

Eclipse?

"…the host (of Xerxes) began its march …At the moment of departure, th sun suddenly quitted his seat in the heavens, and disappeared, though there were no clouds in sight, but the sky was clear and serene ". 

Large partial eclipse

at Sardis, Feb. 17, 478 BC

G

479-475   winter?

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption.  Lava may have flowed to the sea.

G

470  c. 

Italy

Volcano

Ischia eruption.

A

470

China

Comet

A broom star comet

G

469

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in Sparta.

A

467

Thrace

Meteorite

A brown stone the size of a wagon-load fell.

A comet visible

M

461

Unknown

Fall

It rained flesh. 

G

459

Italy

Earthquake

 An earthquake in Roman territories. 

A

433

China

Comet

A broom star comet

G

432 or 431

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in the Roman territories.  Houses thrown down.

G

431 BC

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in Delos.

A

430  August 3

Greece

Eclipse

"the sun assumed the shape of a crescent and became full again, and during the eclipse some stars became visible."

G

426

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in Athens, Euboea, Boeotia,etc.

A

426 December

Greece

Comet

A comet appeared about the time of the winter solstice.

G

425

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in Greece, with great inundations of the sea.

G

425 spring 

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption.  .

G

424

 May?

Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in the Peloponnesus.  Shortly after an eclipse of the sun.

A partial eclipse of the sun on April 30, 424 BC (Oppolzer)

A

413  August 27 

Sicily

Lunar eclipse

The Athenian fleet was ready to retreat from Syracuse when the Moon was totally eclipsed. 

G

406 c. autumn

Italy

FL

Great rise and flood of the Alban Lake.

A

400

 June 21

Italy

Solar eclipse

"On the Nones of June the sun was covered by the moon and night".  A solar eclipse which reached a total or almost total phase at Rome a few minutes after sunset.

A total eclipse ended in Italy, 399 BC June 21 (Oppolzer)

G

398

Greece

 Earthquake

"…the Lacedaemonians under King Agis invaded the territory of Elis… there was an earthquake, and the army retired home …"

Pausanias

G

396  summer? 

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption.  Lava flowed to the sea northeast of Catania.

G

387  c. 

Sicily

Volcano

"Plato seems to have witnessed a lava flow on Mount Etna."

G

380

Greece

Earthquakes

Many earthquakes

G

377

Portugal

Earthquake

An earthquake at Lisbon.

G

373

 Greece

Earthquake

An earthquake in the Peloponnesus, especially at Helike and Bura.  Great inundations of the sea, overwhelming Helike.

'Extended fire' in the sky

G

370 

Portugal

Earthquake

An earthquake at Lisbon.

G

364

 Rome

Earthquake?

A great chasm opened..which afterwards filled with water

 Lacus Curtius

A

361

China

Comet

A broom star comet

G

350  c.

Italy

Volcano

The main peak of Ischia, Epomeo, erupted.. 

G

350 c.

Italy

Volcano

An eruption of Vulcano

G

346  

Unknown

Comet

A 'mane-shaped' comet changed into a spear.

(or 356 BC)

M?

343  (before)

Greece

Ball lightning?

Timoleon's expedition against Syracuse.  "… the heavens seemed…to break open, and a bright spreading flame to issue forth from it, and hover over the ship he was in"

Plutarch

A

340  (c)

Greece?

Comet

A comet that split into two separate pieces.  

A

331  September 20

Arbela

Lunar eclipse

"Because of the sphericity of the earth", a lunar eclipse was seen at Arbela at 8 pm, while the same eclipse in Sicily was when the Moon was just rising.

G

330  (c.) 

Pontus

Earthquake?

An eruption of 'wind' from the ground near Heraclea.

G

323 (before)

Greece

Earthquake?

The island of Chryse, near Lemnos, was sunk into the sea.

A

310  August 15 

Mediterranean

Solar eclipse

"On the morning after the fleet of Agathoceles sailed from Syracuse for Africa…the sun was eclipsed to such a degree that the stars everywhere appeared as at night."

A

305

China

Comet

A broom star comet

A

303-302

Greece

Comet

Recorded on the Parian Marble

A

296

China

Comet

A broom star comet

G

285 or 284

Japan

Earthquake

In the province of  Ommi a large tract of land sank in one night, forming a lake 72½ miles long and 12½ wide.  In Sourouga the mountain Fousi-no-Yama, was thrown up.

G

282

Greece

Earthquake

Delphi.  A portion of a hill thrown down; followed by a violent storm of hail. An earthquake about the Chersoneus and the Hellespont about the same time , the city of Lysimachia destroyed.

M-G

279

Greece

Lightning & landslides

Brennus and his Gauls at Delphi assailed by lightning, snow, and rockfalls from Parnassus

G

276

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake, probably near Picentia in the south of Campania. 

(or perhaps 271)

G

276 - 239

Greece

Volcano

Methana in the Saronic Gulf.  Lava flowed.

G

257  

Italy

Volcano?

A rain of stones at the Alban Mount.

A

240

May-June

China

Comet

A broom star comet

Halley's

A

238

China

Comet

A broom star comet

A

234

Jan-Feb

China

Comet

A broom star comet

A

228

Unknown

Occultation

An occultation of Saturn by the Moon

 Ptolemy

G

224

Asia Minor

Earthquake

An earthquake in Caria, and the island of Rhodes.  The Colossus of Rhodes thrown down. 

Eusebius says the 168^th Olympiad = 105 BC.

M

222

Unknown

Parselenae?

Three moons appeared at once.

G

218

Italy

Earthquake?

The water of a well burst forth in an extraordinary manner. 

G

217

Italy

Volcano?

'the sun's disc semed to be diminished' A shower of 'glowing stones', fell at the town of Praeneste. At Capua there had been 'the appearance of a sky on fire'

Vesuvius erupted (Silius Italicus)

G

217

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in Central Italy, on the day of the battle with Hannibal at the Lake Thrasymene.  Many cities were destroyed..   

57 shocks occurred during the year.

A

214

China

Comet>

A star or comet

G

212    

Italy

Volcano?

A rain of stones at the Alban Mount.

A

211   

China

Meteorite

"… a star fell at Toung-Kiun…it changed into a stone."

A

210

June-July

Babylon

Comet

A comet

A

204  (before)  

Phrygia

Meteorite

"A stone…fell in Phrygia…About 204 BC it was demanded by King Atallus, and taken with great ceremony to Rome".

Conical black stone

A

204

Aug-Sept

China

Comet

A tail-less comet.

M

202 BC

Carthage

Aurora

The Carthaginians saw the sky glowing intensely in flames.

G

199 - 197? 

Greece

Volcano

"… the Lelantine Plain…apparently erupted hot mud or lava ".

Possible date

A

198  August 7

China

Solar eclipse

Ch'ang-an.  An annular eclipse of the Sun was observed.

G

197 BC

 Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in Rome, or the country round.

G

197 or 196

Italy

Earthquake

Shocks for 38 days in Italy.  About the same time, many towns were ruined by earthquakes in Rhodes, and parts of Asia Minor.

G

197

Cyclades

Volcano

The new islands Thera and Therasia in the Cyclades appeared.

M

190 

Italy

Fall

At Tusculum there was a shower of earth.

G

188

Italy

Obscuration & volcano?

"Between the third and the fourth hour of the day, darkness set in…showers of stones were atoned for by a nine-day observance."

A

188

July 17

China

Solar eclipse

Ch'ang-an  An almoste complete eclipse of the Sun was observed.

M

186 

Italy

Fall

A shower of stones in Picenum..

G

184 or 183 

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in Rome.  The statues of the gods were moved.

G

183  (c.) 

Italy

Volcano

Thermessa, now Vulcanello,  rose from the sea.

M

183 

Italy

Fall

A  rain of blood for two days.

M

182   

Rome

Tornado??

A windstorm wrecked buildings in the city,

M

181

Rome

Fall

"There was a rain of blood."

A

181

March 4

China

Solar eclipse

Ch'ang-an.  A total solar eclipse was observed.  Dark in daytime.

M

179  

Italy

Storms & earthquake

"…storms threw down…statues on the Capitol.  A great amount of  damage…by lightning in Rome…the heads of the gods turned about during an earthquake".

G

177 or 178

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in the Sabines' country. Many buildings fell.

G

175

China

Earthquake

An earthquake in China.

M

174 

Unknown

Parhelia

Three suns were seen at once.

A

172

China

Comet

A tailed star comet

A

170

Palestine

Aurora

Armies with long spears and in battle order on the sky.

A

168

Greece

Meteor?

A ball of fire about the size of the Moon at the battle of Pydna.

167 

Italy

Fall, meteor

" At Anagnia there was a shower of earth.  At Lanuvium a blazing meteor was seen in the sky."

M-A

166 

Italy

Falls, meteor, aurora?

"In Campania there was a shower of earth…In the territory of Praeneste bloody rain fell… At Lanuvium a meteor was seen in the sky by night…the sun was seen for several hours at night."

A

164 Oct.

Babylon

Comet

Halley's Comet

M

163  

Italy

Aurora?  Parhelia, falls tornado?

"At Capua the sun was seen by night…At Formiae two suns were seen by day.  The sky was afire…At Gabii there was a rain of milk.…In Cephallenia a trumpet seemed to sound from the sky.  There was a rain of earth.  A windstorm demolished houses …By night an apparent sun shone at Pisaurum."

A

163 September 5

Babylon

Comet

A comet in the first part of the night.

M

162

Italy

Aurora

"At Anagnia the sky was afire at night"

A?

162 February  6

China

Comet?

A 'celestial magnolia tree' appeared in the SW.

A

157 Oct.

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

M

156

Rome

Tornado

"A violent storm racked the temple of Jupiter on the Capitol…The roof of (a) house with its columns was thrown into the Tiber."

A

155 winter

China

Comet

A broom star comet

A

155 Sept.

China

Comet

A broom star comet

M

154

Italy

Meteor?

"At Compsa weapons appeared to fly through the sky."

A

154 Feb.

China

Comet

A tailed star comet

M

152

Rome

Tornado

"On the Campus Martius a column with a gilded statue…was overthrown by a violent whirlwind (turbinis) ".

A

151 (after) 

Greece?

Comet

A comet appeared as big as the sun.  At first it was a fiery red disc, emitting a light so bright that it dispelled the night. 

A

148

China

Comet

A  comet

M-A

147  

Italy

Aurora, haloes, comet

"At Caere streams of blood flowed from the earth and at night heaven and earth seemed to be on fire…At Lanuvum... two haloes…encircled the sun... A comet blazed for 32 days."

A

147 Oct.

China

Comet

A comet

A

147  November 10

China

Solar eclipse

Ch'ang-an.  An almost complete eclipse of the Sun was observed.

G

141 

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption (Obsequens)

G

140

China

Earthquake

Three earthquakes in China this year.

G

140 

Italy

Volcano

"Mount Aetna showed much fire."

A

138 April

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

138 May

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

138 Aug.

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

G

137    

Italy

Meteor, flood

"At  Praeneste a blazing meteor appeared in the sky... The Facine Lake overflowed the land for five miles in all directions."

M

136

Italy

Lightning

"Several things were overthrown by lightning."

A

136

April 15

Babylon

Solar eclipse

Solar eclipse began 96 minutes after sunrise.  Jupiter and Mars visible

Late Babylonian astronomical tablet.

G

135 

Sicily

Volcano

Mount Etna eruption (Obsequens)..

A

135 July

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

135 Sept.

China

Comet

A comet stretched across the heavens.

M

134 

Italy?

Aurora?

The sun was seen at night 'for some length of time'.

A

133  (c.) 

Unknown

Comet

A comet appeared… its vast extent equalled the Milky Way.

Seneca

A

132 autumn

Asia Minor

Comet

A comet visible 70 days; blotted out a quarter of the stars.

Birth of Mithridates

A

130 (c.)

Greece

Nova?

Appearance of a new star inspired Hipparchus' catalogue

Pliny

M

130 

Italy

Lightning

Lightning from a clear sky threw the sail of a ship into the water.

At Tarracina

G

126  before June? 

Sicily

Volcano

The summit of Mount Etna erupted, and an earthquake occurred.  (Obsequens).

G

126 BC

Tuscany

Volcano

A burning island emerged in the bay of Tuscany.

M

125

Italy

Fall

A shower of milk and oil at Veli, north of Rome.

M

124    

Italy

Lightning

A flock of sheep were killed by lightning at Croton together with three shepherds and a dog.

G

123-122

Italy

Subsidence

Privernum, in Latium.  Seven acres of land sank into the earth. 

M

122

Gaul

Parhelia

Three suns and three moons were seen in Gaul.

G

122 - 121

Italy?

Earthquake

An earthquake, probably at Rome (place not mentioned).

G

122 - 121 

Italy

Volcano

Mount Etna.  Lava flowed from the summit to the sea

M

121

Unknown

Halo

A bow appeared round the Sun.

A

120 spring

China

Comet

A bushy star comet.

A

119 May

China

Comet

A tailed star comet

M

118

Unknown

Parhelia

Three suns were seen at once.

A

115?

Rome?

Comet

Seneca says that Posidonius saw a comet during a solar eclipse. 

(or 103 BC?)

M

114 

Unknown

Halo

A hoop appeared round the Sun.

M

114

Unknown

Fall

It rained milk and blood.

M

113

Unknown

Aurora?

A light from the sky at night, usually called 'night-suns' was seen in 113 BC, "and often on other occasions causing apparent daylight in the night".

G

113

Italy

Volcano?

Alban Mount seemed to be on fire at night.  (Obsequens)

M?

113  - 101 

N. Germany

Sounds

During the wars with the Cimbri a noise of clanging armour and the soundings of a trumpet were heard from the sky.

A

110 June

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A

110 November 23

Babylon

Comet

A comet

A

108-107

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

A?

106 

Italy?

Meteor shower?

"…an uproar in the sky was heard, and javelins (pila) seemed to fall from heaven."

A

102 (c.)

China

Comet

A bushy star comet

M

104

Italy

Aurora?

At Volsinii "flames rising friom the ground seemed to reach the sky"… "there were seen at nights in the sky flaming darts and shields ".

M

104 BC

Italy

Parhelia

Three suns appeared in the province of Picenum.

G

104 - 103

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in the territory of Picenum.

G

103 - 102

 Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in Nursia.  Buildings thrown down. 

G

101 - 100

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake in Pesaro.  Buildings thrown down.

A

99  

Italy

Meteor?

"…a blazing meteor was seen far and wide at Tarquini (Corneto, NW of Rome), falling in a sudden plunge.  At sunset a circular object like a shield was seen to sweep across from west to east".

G

99 - 98

Italy

Subsidence

At Venafrum the earth oppened and sank down. 

G

96 - 95

Italy

Earth sound

Fesulae.  No shock, but subterranean noise (fremitus).

G

95 - 94

Italy

Earthquake

An earthquake injured buildings at Rhegium.

M

93

Italy

Aurora

"…at Volsinii flame seemed to flash from the sky at dawn ".

G

92

Syria

Earthquake

An earthquake in Syria and the island of Cyprus.

G?

91 

Modena

Volcano?

"…two mountains ran together with a mighty crash, leaping forward and then retiring with flames and smoke rising between them to the sky…The shock brought down all the country houses."

A meteor strike seems a possibility

M

91

Italy

Ball lightningf?

"Near Spoletium a gold-coloured fireball rolled down to the ground ".

M

91 

Italy

Fall

A shower of stones accompanied by sherds of pottery.

M

90 

Unknown

Halo

A red ring appeared round the Sun.

G

90 ?    

Aeolian Is

Volcano

 "Holy Island and Lipari…burnt in mid sea for several days."

A

89  September 29

China

Solar eclipse