Three Significant Roman-Era Pandemics That Claimed The Lives Of Countless People Were Linked To Climate Change, According To Recent Research
More than 2,000 years ago, periods of brutally cold weather may have played a role in the deadly plagues that swept through the Roman Empire.
New research has suggested that three major Roman-era pandemics that killed countless people are linked to climate change.
The findings contribute to scientists’ understanding of how changes in the climate affect human health.
To study the climate of the Roman Empire, researchers drilled down into the sediment of the Gulf of Taranto, a wide body of water under the “sole” of Italy’s boot. Then, the team took samples of the sediment and analyzed the various layers.
Information found in the sediment cores was used to match the layers with specific years. The presence of volcanic glass in the sediments was what made the dating possible.
The volcanic glass could be traced back to well-known volcanic eruptions throughout history, such as the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii in 79 C.E.
The study revealed that the sediments spanned from 200 B.C. to 600 A.D., beginning in the late Roman Republic and ending with the last days of the Roman Empire. The researchers also looked at the tiny organisms called dinoflagellates that were preserved in the sediment.
Dinoflagellates are sensitive to temperature and precipitation. Different species have different preferences in weather conditions. While some thrive in the cold, others flourish in times of high rainfall.
Based on the dinoflagellates, the team was able to reconstruct the weather conditions in Roman Italy. The results showed that the climate was stable between 200 and 100 B.C. That period was followed by a series of short cold snaps.
Sandis – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Then, between 160 and 180 A.D., a very strong cold period struck the region. It aligned with the Antonine Plague, also known as the Plague of Galen, which likely originated in western Asia and was introduced to the empire when Roman armies returned. The sickness was characterized by symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and skin pustules.
Two more of these extreme cold spells occurred between 245 and 275 A.D. and after 500 A.D. Again, these intervals of time coincided with pandemics.
The second cold snap was associated with the Plague of Cyprian. Per historical records, the illness caused diarrhea, vomiting, and sometimes, the putrefaction of limbs.
Finally, the third lined up with the Plague of Justinian, the first known outbreak of bubonic plague that ravaged western Eurasia in 541 A.D. It hit the region during the Late Antique Little Ice Age.
The cold itself probably was not the actual cause of the disease outbreaks. Instead, it may have affected factors that contribute to human resilience, making people more susceptible to disease.
For example, farmers may have struggled to grow crops during cold-weather periods, leading to malnutrition.
Additionally, the cold may have given rise to higher populations of disease-carrying species, such as rats and mosquitoes.
By investigating the weather conditions of the past, the researchers can learn how well ancient societies held up against them. The new research can also offer insights into the climate-related challenges the world is facing today.
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