801 Apennine earthquake

[1] Both the Annals and the Liber date the event to 30 April according to contemporary Roman practice, whereby the day began at sundown.

[1] The Annals record the event from the perspective of the Frankish king Charlemagne, who had been crowned Roman emperor on 25 December 800 and had left Rome on 25 April for Spoleto, where he was staying when the earthquake struck.

[1] The archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani concluded that the damage was even more severe than the sources let on and that Pope Leo III had to rebuild the basilica "from the introit to the presbytery, from the marble floor to the summit of the roof.

"[6] The Liber mentions the earthquake mainly to introduce Leo III's works at San Paolo, but it leaves the impression that the collapse of the roof caused extensive damage to the interior furnishings (including the silverware stored beneath the altar) and the porticoes.

[13] While [Charlemagne] was staying [in Spoleto], on April 30, in the second hour of the night, a tremendous earthquake occurred which severely shook the whole of Italy.

Because of this tremor a large part of the roof of the basilica of the blessed apostle Paul with its wooden framework collapsed, and in some places mountains tumbled on top of cities.