evidence: Two very recent earthquakes — the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami of 2004 and the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake — feature amongst the most deadly in human history. But equally, some of the most fatal occurred in the very distant past. The third deadliest was the earthquake in Antakya (Turkey) in 115 CE. Both old and very recent earthquakes feature near the top of the list. The deadly nature of earthquakes has been a persistent threat throughout our history.