New-York tribune., 1872-04-09
EARTHQUAKES.
PARTIAL DESTRUCTION OF ANTIOCH IN
SYRIA
ONE-lIALF OF THE CITY IN RUINS-GREAT DIS
TRESs AND LOSS OF LIFE.

| A tel earam from Constantinople brings intelli-
gence that the City of Antioch, Syria, has been
| visited by an earthquake causing terrible loss OF
life. The dispatch states that one-haf Of the city
totally destroyed and 1900 persons lost their
lives. Great distress prevails in that portion OF the
city not demolished, and the remaining inhabitants
are sadly i'll need Of assistance.
| HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF ANTIOCH-THE
| DECADENCE OF A GREAT CITY.
There have been few cities even in the East
fertile in caamteswhich have been severely Wis
tied as Antioch. Earthquakes, famine. and pesence
to have been her portion at various periods during
her existence than 1000 years. and Of late she
has held tho position only OF dapdated town, possess
ing hardly sufficient interest TO call the Oriental traveller
aside from the beaten path to look upon what once
the Queen Of the East. Built about 300 b. c. by Seeucus
Nicator, founder Of the syro-Macedonian empire and
named in honor OF his father Anochus, for COO
the most beautiful city in Western Asia,
vorite residence Of wealthy Romans Extended o
broad plain between the river Orontes and the noun
tans Casius and Amanus occupied the larger portion
of space five miles in breadth and 10 miles in length,
through which the river wound gracefully, emptying
itself into the Bay Of Antioch On the slope OF Mount
silpius extensive vineyards, while the banks OF
the Orontes boOned with the luxurious growth OF the
| fg-tree, the myrtle, tho bay, tho Hex, and
| the arbutus, mingled with dwarf-oak and
sycamore 1t was, in fact, "beautiful Antioch" the
|
civilization met and brought together all of luxury and
magnfcence that could mako life bewitching and charm
ing to the senses. It's climate tempered by the west
wind the most delicious, though enervating, in the
world. Its very origin romance When its founder
decided upon his great undertaking. tho sanction Of
auguries sought for the establishment of the
metropolis. Like Romuus the Paatine, Seleucus is
said have watched the fight of birds from the summit
| Of Mount Casius. An eagle, carrying in his taons
fragment Of the flesh Of the sacrifice decided the site of
Antioch This legend is often represented on the coins
of Antioch by the figure of eagle carrying the thigh
Of victim, while the astrological propensities which
characterized the Antochans signifed by the figure
of RAM combined with star, denotng the verna sign
of the zodiac under which the city was founded.
Antioch crowded with inhabitants from the
surrounding districts and seleucus raised the Jews who
settled here, to the political privileges with the
Greeks Here wero eighteen tribes. who were repre-
sented politically by an Assembly, which met in tho
theaer, and later, by Senate CT 200 members The
character of the people may readily be imagined The
climate made them efemnate and luxurious. Antioch
to have been built with lavish expenditure of
wealth, and with wonderful magnncence portion OF
it extended sapd in the river Orontes. and
Joined to the larger part by five bridges The arrange
ment Of the streets simple and symmetrical. One
OF these streets extended for four miles, with double
coloDnades Temples, palaces and superb theaters
lined these either side. While arches and
statues at various points added to the beauty
OF the scene. The number and splendor
Of the public buildings at the beginning of the Roman
period Was very great. while a long series OF Roman |
EmperOrs added TO its embellishments Theaers amphi
theaters and public baths common; while as In
Damascus nearly every private dwelling was supplied
with water and baths necessity The great street
was paved with Egyptian granite Trajan Calgula and
Hadran erected baths which bore the of their
founders Dioclean built here palace, and estab
lished public and manufactures Of arms. Five
miles from the city stood suburb known as Daphne
where seencus had planted grove In the middle Of
which he built temple dedicated to Apollo and Diana.
This place was the avOe resort Of the sensual and dis
soute Antlochans until "to live after the of
Daphne became synonymous with pleasures |
Of the most impure and voluptuous character |
Few cities arc more intimately connected with the |
rise of Christian religion than Antioch. In A. ID. IS
the Christian Church in that city sufficiently |
wealthy aid the inhabitants of Judea, then suffering
under famine, and St. Paul, in company with Barna-
bas was sent tlihCr to collect subscriptions Antioch
was then chosen by Paul the startingpont for his
missionary abor and he is cited having made three
distinct journeys from thence into Asia Minor and Eu
rope. In A. d. 34T born at Antioch, John CIysos-
TOM one tho eloquent and earnest of all the
early fathers Hero he preached against the pagans,
ceyirg his appelaon OF the golden mouthed" for bis
marvellous oratOrical gifts. To Crysostom we are in
debed for the statement that in his me Antioch con-
tanned population OF 2OJC0psous OF whom 100000 were
Christians.
About li5 years before the Christian c 10000 OF the
inhabitants fell victims to war with the Jews, which
was the beginning Of the long line Of caamtes which
resulted in the destruction Of this doomed CITY, In
1l5 A. d. in the reign of the Emperor Trajan, Antioch
was visited by an earthquake which lasted several days
and nights and which destroyed largo portion OF the
city and the lives OF many OF its inhabitants Irajan
himself who happened to be visiting the city narrowly
escaped with his life by eapng from window. Thirty
wears later Antioch nearly destroyed by terrible
fire. but was rebuilt by Anteninus Plus In A. d. a3l,
having been three times captured and plundered,
Antioch was visited by terrible famine; and In 3sl, by
another still more gIeyous, which was followed by the
plaeue In the year i53 Antioch was again almost
entirely ruined by an earthquake, which left scarcely
single house standing in the most beautiful quarter or
IN, citv In 52s was again similarly visited and IL
years later being captured by Chosroe, King
OF Persia, the Inhabitants were nearly all
mt to the sword, and the city burned to
the ground. 1t again resoredbut inIoS7 was AGAIN
DESTROYED by an earthquake when 1000 lives were lost
In 1898 the warriors Of the first Crusade Godfrey and
Tancred pitched their tents without the city, aud event
ually captured but In 1868 it fell into the hands OF the
sultan of Egypt and his Mameukes From this time IL
sank gradually into state OF complete insignincahce
and I'm the fifteenth century contained only 800 houses
Its population OF late has varied between 5000 ana
10000 as many Us COCO Egyptian soldiers being some.
times encamped there Another terrible earthquake in
1872 completed the demolition even OF the walls OF the
old city, and mulberry groves aud fruit gardens occupy
the site of what was once the greatest city of the East
The town consists Of built Of mud and straw, and
narrow and miry streets exhibit every appearance Of
misery and vretchedness. Tho SOIL though remarkably
fertile is uncutivated, the lazy Arabs and Turconans
passing their time in fishing and smoking.
THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE.
INTERESTING DETAILs-CURIoUs PHENOMENA.