Event #388: Thunderbolts from a clear sky strike many towns around Rome; two persons killed

Text #512

The temple of Juno Lucina was struck by lightning in such a way that the gable and the doors were damaged. In neighbouring towns many things were struck by lightning. At Nursia stormclouds gathered from a clear sky, and two persons were killed. At tusculum there was a shower of earth. A mule at Reate produced a colt. A day of prayer was observed by ten boys with living fathers and mothers, and as many girls.¹

1. The words fulmine ictum are used for “struck by lightning”. However, fulmine can mean more than just lightning; it is a “bolt” which could be a solid flaming object. This passage could very well be a description of meteor/comet fragment strikes. That becomes more likely when you consider “shower of earth.” fulmen (“lightning which strikes and sets on fire, thunderbolt”) [nE] ↩