Exceptional Rainfall over Thebes in Ancient and Present Times: An Analysis of Possible Driving Mechanisms

Natural disasters can play a key role in determining the evolution of the human history, and the raise and decline of Empires can be, at least in part, related not only to natural catastrophic events, but, more in general, to changes of natural environmental conditions, including climate. In the framework of the national project Plagues of Egypt, natural disasters in ancient Egypt including eruptions, earthquakes, floods and wars, famines and epidemics, have been taken into consideration and in the present study a possible connection between the major storm described in the Ahmose Stela, known as the 'Tempest Stela', and the volcanic eruption of Santorini is discussed.