Naples and the tsunami of 1343: the precious testimony of Petrarca

Naples has been the scene of numerous natural disasters, over the years. The precious testimony of Petrarca makes us almost passive spectators of the dramatic tsunami of 1343.

In addition to the famous eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., an equally dramatic event marked forever the life in the Neapolitan city. Nevertheless, the tsunami, that struck the territory in 1343, has always had too little mention and that dramatic event has usually been forgotten, even if, at that time it was a huge disaster. Although today that catastrophe is not duly reported to memory by media, some important writings can take back the memory of that sad event: in fact, the superb pen of Petrarca documented what happened that terrible day.

The famous XIVth poet witnessed that unfortunate event and was so strongly marked by its ruthless violence that he felt the need to write about it in his texts.

Some of his writings are the most vivid and precious testimony we have today of what happened.

Epistolaefamiliares

In his work Epistolaefamiliares, the poet wrote about the dreadful experience he lived in Naples and the tsunami that furiously flooded over the city. The most curious thing about the story was an almost mystical element attributed to that event: the poet told about a man – a religious who lived on the island of Ischia – who, some days before the catastrophe, alerted every inhabitant of the surrounding areas of the arrival of a great disaster. In his writings, Petrarca appears to be very scarred by his prediction, which turned out to be true just few days later.

The writer arrived in Naples, on behalf of Pope Clement V, to fix the negotiations concerning the detention of some prisoners. Once landed, he noticed many unusual black clouds darkening the sky, while the South was typically famous for its clear sky. Consequently, the poet thought that Naples was not welcoming him warmly as usual.

The testimony of Petrarca

During the morning of November 25, in 1345, an anomalous wave hit the city. The poet immediately took refuge inside the cloister of the friars, next to the church of San Lorenzo. In his verses, he described the religious men focused on praying, and frightened and afflicted by that almost apocalyptic catastrophe. Through his eyes, we can see the glasses of the windows trembling, we can hear the screams of desperation in the streets and we can be scared by the waters of the Gulf violently returning to swallow up the fishermen into the deep abyss.

When it was all over the poet vowed never to step foot in a seaside city again.