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The Justinianic Plague, which began in 541 AD, marks the onset of the first historically recorded pandemic. Originating in the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I, this plague is recognized as one of the deadliest in history, comparable only to later pandemics like the Black Death in the 14th century and the 20th-century plague. The initial outbreak persisted until 549, but recurrences plagued the empire for nearly two centuries, contributing to a catastrophic death toll estimated between 15 to 100 million people.
The disease, identified in modern times as caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium responsible for the Black Death, is believed to have entered the Byzantine Empire via Egypt, spreading rapidly through major trade routes. Constantinople, the empire’s capital, experienced the plague’s devastating effects, with daily death tolls reportedly reaching up to 5,000.
The pandemic weakened the Byzantine Empire considerably, leading to reduced agricultural yields, economic decline, and a diminished military. This left the empire vulnerable to invasions and hindered Justinian’s ambitions to restore the former Roman Empire. Recent studies, however, suggest that the plague’s impact might have been less catastrophic than traditionally believed, challenging earlier accounts that painted it as a uniformly devastating event across Europe and the Mediterranean.
Top image: The Plague of the Philistines at Ashdod, by Pieter van Halen Source: Wellcome Images /CC BY 4.0