Plague of Justinian

When most think of devastating pandemics, the first thing that comes to mind is the Black Plague, also known as the Bubonic Plague. However, another plague that occurred centuries before that may not sound so familiar is the Plague of Justinian. The Justinian Plague occurred in the sixth century about eight hundred years earlier then the Black Death, both have been two of the deadliest plagues in history

The Plague of Justinian effected the Eastern Roman Empire, especially its capital Constantinople, and Sasssanid Empire and port cities around the Mediterranean. As the plague swept across Asia, Europe, North  Africa and Arabia, it killed an estimated 30-50 million people from the initial outbreak of it to the recurrences that appeared for up to two centuries after. At the time of the initial outbreak, the plague claimed the lives of about half the population. 

Findings have now shown that the Plague of Justinian and the Black Death were caused by different strains of the sane deadly microbe. It is believed that this plague was also spread to humans from rodents who carried the disease. It is also believed that the original outbreak in Constantinople, one of the places it hit the hardest, was brought there by infected rats who had been brought over on grain boats from Egypt. Just like the Black Death, the result of the Plague of Justinian have left long term effects on Europe and the Christian history.