Helike 373 BC: The Earthquake That May Have Inspired Atlantis
In the middle of a winter night, the earth began to tremble beneath Helike. A massive earthquake woke up the citizens of Greek city on the Gulf of Corinth. Then a subsequent tsunami swallowed the city. Historical authors declared the event a punishment by Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. But was it really a punishment by a Greek god?
Historical Accounts
There are numerous ancient accounts that report the devastating loss of Helike. We will list a few of them.
The earliest, almost contemporary account was from Aristotle. He recorded that at the time of a comet, an earthquake and tsunami hit Achaia in the Peloponnese, where Helike was located. Besides Aristotle, among the earliest accounts was that of the Greek mathematician and geographer Eratosthenes. He recounted the devastating earthquake and its aftermath. He described the heavy earth shaking in the middle of the night, the collapse of the city, and the retreat of the shoreline.
Moreover, Heraclides Ponticus wrote in the 4th century BC that Helike disappeared suddenly and was swallowed by the sea. He gave the location of Helike, as did Strabo, who likely referred to Heraclides. Furthermore, Strabo wrote in his Geographica in the 1st century BC that the city was covered by the sea and that its remains were, in his time, visible from the land.
Interestingly, Pausanias later described the event in his work Description of Greece. According to him, the city, whose patron was Poseidon, was destroyed by an earthquake as punishment for the citizens. Besides Helike, Pausanias wrote that Boura was also destroyed and later refounded. He recorded reports of locals about the earthquake; this shows that a disaster of such scale was passed down orally from generation to generation.
Aelian, in the 3rd century AD, described strange animal behaviour. Namely, most animals, according to ancient accounts, fled the city because they sensed something was wrong. He wrote: “For five days before Helice disappeared all the mice and martens and snakes and centipedes and beetles and every other creature of that kind in the town left in a body by the road that leads to the mountains.” What makes this account important is that it describes the behaviour of animals. This is the oldest known written account of animal behavior shortly before a crisis struck.
Ancient accounts of a much later date need to be taken with a grain of salt; in other words, they require a critical approach because of their credibility. They are likely exaggerated or embellished. Accounts written at the time, or close to the time the event took place, are more reliable.
What Does Archaeological Evidence Suggest?
The first attempts to locate the lost city were made between 1950 and 1973, but without success. Only in 1995 were the first results of the search positive. A large Roman building was found near the contemporary village of Rizomylos. The actual remains of Helike were unearthed in 2001 by archaeologists. The site was located near the present-day village of Rizomylos. Earlier beliefs misled scientists into thinking that the remains of Helike were located deep in the sea; therefore, in the late 1980s they searched underwater. However, in the 1990s, as mentioned earlier, they moved their search to land.
Numerous excavations throughout the 21th century revealed the destruction of the city. Archaeologists uncovered pottery, clay roof tiles, and layers of cobblestones. Some of them were found together with traces of marine microfauna, which suggests that the ruins were once under the sea surface. Artefacts found on the site showed traces of destruction, meaning that after the earthquake struck, a tsunami followed, and then a fire broke out. Excavations revealed phases of building, showing that the place was rebuilt and reorganized by the generations that followed.
Helike was abandoned, with belongings left intact. However, the city did not die out with the cataclysm, it thrived and survived, but in nearby location.
Conclusion
Human communities can react differently to catastrophes; some may never return to the place, while others may be more resilient and adaptable. The example from 373 BC demonstrates the latter.
The earthquake that struck the Peloponnesian city of Helike in 373 BC, followed by a tsunami, caused enormous damage. We know from written sources and archaeological research that Helike was rebuilt, but at a nearby location.
From this example, it is evident that the community of the rebuilt city was ready for a new beginning, though in a different place. This may suggest that fear of the event still existed, that people learned from previous experiences, and that they adapted construction practices in case of future earthquakes. This also represents a strong case of cultural memory. Generations recalled the devastating event, and they acted according to that memory.
This example illustrates the resilience of human communities and their capacity to adapt, rebuild, and endure in the aftermath of destruction.
If we question ancient sources, should we not question modern ones as well?
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Sources:
Dora Katsonopoulou, Ioannis Koukouvelas, Mariza Kormann, “Earthquake Destruction and Resilience in Ancient Helike, Gulf of Corinth, Greece: A Case Study of Past Human–Environment Relationship,” Land 2025, 14(7), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071392
Stiros, S. C., “The 373 B.C. Helike (Gulf of Corinth, Greece) Earthquake and Tsunami,” Revisited, Seismol. Res. Lett. XX, 1–14, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1785/0220210092
Steven Soter1 and Dora Katsonopoulou, “Occupation Horizons Found in the Search for the Ancient Greek City of Helike,” Geoarchaeology: An International Journal, Vol. 14, No. 6, 531–563 (1999), https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/wp-content/uploads/Documents/PLACES/GreecePeloponnesus/Helike-Soter1999.pdf