Santorini Eruption

The Santorini eruption was a major volcanic and tectonic event, that occurred in the Near East in 765 B.C. It affected many cultures, including but not limited to the Egyptians, the Israelites, the Hittites, and the Assyrians. This event likely began with limited volcanism on the island of Santorini in the Mediterranean around 950 B.C., and it escalated until the volcano furiously exploded, collapsing the island and causing earthquakes within a several hundred mile radius. This destroyed or affected many ancient empires.

In Egypt, the Santorini eruption precipitated the destruction of the 19th Dynasty. Merneptah was the pharaoh at the time, and his sons took this event to show that the gods no longer favored his reign. They took control at Thebes, causing the 19th Dynasty interregnum. This delocalization of power took place at the exact wrong time, as displaced peoples from Libya and the Levant invaded Egypt and began the 22nd Dynasty. Likewise, the High Priests of Amun at Tanis began their own 21st Dynasty.

In the Levant, this event was prophesied by Amos during the rules of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel. It took its toll on the area, as cities such as Carchemish and Damascus were shattered by earthquakes and burned to the ground by volcanic ash and displaced invaders. In Syria, a new king took power, named Rezin, and within a few years (by 755 B.C.) he had taken control of nearly the entire Levant in Egypt's stead.

In Anatolia, the Hittites fared the worst from these events, as they were the closest to the eruption and invading hordes. A century before the main explosion, preliminary eruptions had caused lingering ash in the area. This led to widespread plague that killed off the kings Suppiliuma I, Arnuwanda II, and possibly Mursili II. The main event of 765 B.C. completely ravaged the land, and displaced invaders began the new Phrygian Kingdom.

In Mesopotamia, the eruption had less of an effect. However, the Assyrian Empire records noticeably darker days due to the volcanic ash beginning in 765 B.C. during the reign of Ashur-Dan III, and not letting up enough to make accurate astronomical readings until 747 B.C. in the reign of Ashur-Nirari V.

The evidence for the revised history can be found at Displaced Dynasties. Evidence regarding this pharaoh specifically can be found here and here.