In the midst of global pandemic, we may wonder how COVID-19 will go down in history and whether it will be remembered or not. There have been many pandemics throughout history and a lot of them are still remembered today. These pandemics hold significance to people right now especially because of what we have gone through in the last year. We are going to explore through just some of the most significant pandemics of the past. A pandemic is any disease that has a widespread outbreak over a geographic area, such as a country or region. 

Plague of Athens- 430 BCE

The first recorded Pandemic happened in Athens in 430 BCE. The Athens Plague was a pandemic that happened in Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War. The Athens Plague consisted mostly within the cities of Piraeus and Athens. It had a death toll that ranged from 80,000 to 100,000 people. The pandemic’s reach wasn’t large but the death tolls were hefty for the time. The Plague of Athens contributed to the Athenian loss of the Peloponnesian war and eventually Athen’s fall. 

Antonine Plague- 165 AD

The Antonine Plague (or the Plague of Galen) was a pandemic that consisted in Rome in the year 165 AD. The Antonine Plague was brought to Rome by Roman troops returning from modern-day Germany. This pandemic spread like wildfire throughout the whole Roman Empire and was in Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia Minor. The Antonine Plague killed nearly 10% of the Roman population which was around 60-80 million. It is believed by scientists that the infection that was responsible for this plague was actually smallpox. 

Cyprian Plague- 250 AD

The Cyprian Plague was another major plague during the Roman Empire. It first began in Ethiopia and it didn’t take long to reach Rome. People in areas with the plague would try to flee but this led the plague to spread even more. The Cyprian Plague lasted for around 20 years. There is no exact death toll; however, it is known that during the height of the Cyprian Plague the death toll was 5000 people a day. The Cyprian Plague left the Roman Empire falling apart; if this pandemic lasted longer Rome may have fallen earlier. Later Emperors were able to pick up the pieces but the plague still left a profound impact on the structural integrity of the Roman Empire.  

Justinian Plague- 541 AD

The Justinian Plague was a pandemic in the year 541 AD that affected the Byzantine Empire and the regions near it. The Justinian Plague was caused by the disease The Bubonic Plague which is more commonly known for a later Pandemic, The Black Death. The Bubonic Plague disease can spread through rats and small insects like flies which is the cause of the spread of the Justinian Plague. The Justinian Plague actually originated in the Egyptian city Pelusium and reached Constantinople about a year later. After that, it began to spread and infect people in large amounts. The Justinian Plague lasted 209 years until 750 AD and its casualties amounted to around 50 million people. The plague caused serious economic problems for the Byzantine Empire but it also increased the spread of Christianity. 

We will be looking at some medieval and modern pandemics in the next issue of The History of Pandemics. It will be coming out soon.