Ilopango erupted around 450 CE with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, a colossal eruption that threw tens of cubic kilometres of ash and rock into the air. About 30,000 people died. Eruptions of this size inject sulphur into the stratosphere and can cool the global climate for a year or more. The VEI is a logarithmic scale: each step means roughly ten times more erupted material. It took place around 450 CE.
Before and after
- from 435 CE to 437 CEBurgundian Revolt of Gunther
- from 439 CE to 442 CEVandal War (439-442)
- c. 450 CEConstruction of Takht-e Soleyman
- 450 CEBirth of Hormisdas
- c. 450 CEEruption of Ilopango
- 451 CEAetius and Theodoric stop Attila at the Catalaunian Plains
- 1 November 451 CECouncil of Chalcedon
- 12 May 454 CEBirth of Theodoric the Great
- c. 455 CEOrigins of Tbilisi
More in Earth & climate
- c. 1,900 BCEEruption of Black Peak
- c. 1,860 BCEEruption of St. Helens
- c. 1,645 BCEEruption of Aniakchak
- 104 BCEEstablishment of Qumran
- c. 63 CEEruption of Churchill
- from 19 July 64 CE to 26 July 64 CEGreat Fire of Rome
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 5th century.