The Plague of Justinian, c. 541-542
Tracey J. Kinney
Plague in the Eastern Roman Empire
Procopius of Caesarea (~490/507-c.560s) remains the best-known chronicler of the age of Justinian. His official works celebrated Justinian’s many achievements, including his building projects and military campaigns. However, Procopius’ Anekdota (often translated as Secret History) was a scathing attack on the Emperor and the Empress Theodora. The account that follows is taken from his official History of the Wars, and details the spread of a deadly disease across the Eastern Roman Empire. Even before epidemiologists were able to confirm that the pathogen in question was Yersinia pestis, historians had concluded from Procopius’ detailed descriptions that this was an outbreak of the bubonic plague. A recent economic analysis estimates the death toll between 25 and 50 million people, with densely populated areas such as Egypt, where the outbreak originated, losing up to 50% of their population.[1]
Procopius, History of the Wars
XXII
During these times there was a pestilence, by which the whole human race came near to being annihilated. Now in the case of all other scourges sent from Heaven some explanation of a cause might be given by daring men, such as the many theories propounded by those who are clever in these matters; for they love to conjure up causes which are absolutely incomprehensible to man, and to fabricate outlandish theories of natural philosophy, knowing well that they are saying nothing sound, but considering it sufficient for them, if they completely deceive by their argument some of those whom they meet and persuade them to their view. But for this calamity it is quite impossible either to express in words or to conceive in thought any explanation, except indeed to refer it to God. For it did not come in a part of the world nor upon certain men, nor did it confine itself to any season of the year, so that from such circumstances it might be possible to find subtle explanations of a cause, but it embraced the entire world, and blighted the lives of all men, though differing from one another in the most marked degree, respecting neither sex nor age. For much as men differ with regard to places in which they live, or in the law of their daily life, or in natural bent, or in active pursuits, or in whatever else man differs from man, in the case of this disease alone the difference availed naught. And it attacked some in the summer season, others in the winter, and still others at the other times of the year. Now let each one express his own judgment concerning the matter, both sophist and astrologer, but as for me, I shall proceed to tell where this disease originated and the manner in which it destroyed men.
It started from the Aegyptians who dwell in Pelusium. Then it divided and moved in one direction towards Alexandria and the rest of Aegypt, and in the other direction it came to Palestine on the borders of Aegypt; and from there it spread over