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Procopius The Silk Road was a Byzantine historian, and he reported also an outbreak of extensive trading network during the plague in 541 in the Egyptian port of Pelusium6th century C.E. This report might support the idea the disease entered Europe through North Africa, with that region's connections suggesting travelers from Central Asia probably brought it to ports in the south and east Asia, which also connected Egypt. Syriac ecclesiastical records also record the outbreak in Antioch and other areas of the eastern Mediterranean, although by where it then, it may have already also spread in the Eastern into Europe from these Mediterraneanports. During the height of There is also evidence that the plaguecame through North Africa, Constantinople may have lost 5000-10as important trading ports connected Africa with eastern Asia. From Ethiopia,000 people per day, although numbers are difficult to determineand into Egypt, the plague could have also expanded into the Middle East and the accuracy of reporting is in questionEurope.
Archaeological Both historical descriptions of the symptoms and excavated skeletons with evidence from Germany and other northern European countries indicate of the plague that date to this period suggest the disease also spread plague, similar to these regionsthe 14th century Black Death, was the culprit. <ref>For a while, Northern Europe's relative isolation spared it, but this does not seem to be more on the case. While many towns and villages had already declined due background to the collapse of the Roman Empireplague, other diseasessee: Rosen, and famineW., this also further devastated communities2007. Emperor <i> Justinian's flea: plague, at the timeempire, was busy financing the Hagia Sophia and carrying out his wars in the western Mediterraneanbirth of Europe</i>. At that pointViking, he was on the verge of retaking critical parts of the Western Mediterranean that would have resulted in the Byzantine Empire effectively reuniting lands from the Roman EmpireNew York. </ref>
However, Justinian ====The Plague spread from Central Asia into Northern Europe====Procopius was forced to minimize his campaigns, and likely his forces were weakened. Many crops failed as people were unable to attend to thema Byzantine historian, and he reported an outbreak of the plague in 541 in the cost Egyptian port of grain rose sharplyPelusium. Wages also increased as labor supply became limitedThis report might support the idea the disease entered Europe through North Africa, which may have helped with that region's connections to diminish some differences in social standing ports in the Byzantine south and Sasanian Empireseast Asia, which also connected Egypt. The economy throughout Syriac ecclesiastical records also record the outbreak in Antioch and other areas of the eastern Mediterranean faced enormous strain; however, depleting although by then, it may have already spread in the finances Eastern Mediterranean. During the height of the Byzantine Empire as it relied on taxation to finance its armies and construction projects. Justinian also became infected with the plague but was able , Constantinople may have lost 5,000-10,000 people per day, although numbers are difficult to survive. The Sasanian Empiredetermine, great rivals to and the Byzantines who were based accuracy of reporting is in Mesopotamia and Iran, were also affected, although we have fewer surviving recordsquestion.
Initially, they may have benefited, as they were able to make advances on the Byzantines in Armenia Archaeological evidence from Germany and in other northern European countries indicate that the Levantdisease also spread to these regions. HoweverFor a while, Northern Europe's relative isolation spared it, but this began a series of long-term wars with the Byzantines that likely depleted their forces over time. This enabled the Sasanians does not seem to be more easily perhaps conquered in the 7th century by the rising Arabscase.<ref>For more on the events during the plague, see: Little, L.K. (Ed.), 2008. <i>Plague While many towns and villages had already declined due to the end collapse of antiquity: the pandemic of 541-750</i>Roman Empire, Paperback ed. ed. Cambridge Univ. Pressother diseases, New Yorkand famine, NYthis pandemic further devastated communities. </ref>
However, ====Byzantine's finances were hobbled by the pandemic====<dh-ad/>The main long-term devastation was the economic consequences of the plague. Diminished labor, as well as lost tax revenues, meant that the Byzantines could no longer finance major offensives or construction projects as they had before the plague. The Sasanians likely saw this as an opportunity to expand into Byzantine territory, which did initially succeed. They were able almost to replicate the extent and scale of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, which was seen as the model empire by the Sasanians.
Admin moved page How Did the Plague of Justinian Change History? to How Did the Plague of Justinian Change History
The Plague of Justinian (541–542 CE) was one of the worst plagues in recorded history, arguably bringing two major empires to devastation and affecting numerous societies across Eurasia. The only other known event comparable to its impact was the Black Death of the 14th century. These two plagues are perhaps even related, as both seem to start in Central Asia and are based on the plague carried by rats.
====The Key EventsPlague of Justinian was Similiar to Bubonic Plague====To our knowledge, the bacterium that caused the Justinian Plague (Figure 1) is <i>Yersinia pestis</i>, which is can still be found in the mountains of Tian Shan, which . The mountains sit along the modern Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China borders. This is bacteria was a form of bubonic plague, very similar to the Black Death. While today the disease from this bacteria can be easily treatedwith anti-biotics today, periodic outbreaks would have likely devastated ancient populations without any known immunity. The spread of the plague could have had many reasons. Still, it could have been migrating travels from Central Asia, including possibly Huns migrating towards Europe around this time, helping to spread the plague. This era was also during a period of relatively cold winters and failed crops that may have prompted migrations that brought the plague with travelers.
The Silk Road was also an extensive trading network during plague could have spread to the 6th century C.EByzantine Empire for many reasons.Still, suggesting travelers it could have been migrating travels from Central Asia probably brought it , including possibly Huns migrating towards Europe around this time, helping to the eastern Mediterranean, where it then also spread into Europe from these Mediterranean ports. There is also evidence that the plague came through North Africa, as important trading ports connected Africa with eastern Asia. From Ethiopia, and into Egypt, the plague could have This era was also expanded into the Middle East and Europe. Both historical descriptions during a period of the symptoms relatively cold winters and excavated skeletons with evidence of the plague failed crops that may have prompted migrations that date to this period suggest brought the plague, similar to the 14th century Black Death, was the culprit.<ref>For more on the background to the plague, see: Rosen, W., 2007. <i> Justinian's flea: plague, empire, and the birth of Europe</i>. Viking, New Yorkdisease with travelers. </ref>
====Historical ImpactThe Plague hampered Justinian's expansion of the Byzantine Empire====Emperor Justinian, at the time, was busy financing the Hagia Sophia and carrying out his wars in the western Mediterranean. At that point, he was on the verge of retaking critical parts of the Western Mediterranean that would have resulted in the Byzantine Empire effectively reuniting lands from the Roman Empire. However, Justinian was forced to minimize his campaigns, and likely his forces were weakened. Many crops failed as people were unable to attend to them, and the cost of grain rose sharply. Wages also increased as labor supply became limited, which may have helped to diminish some differences in social standing in the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires. The economy throughout the Mediterranean faced enormous strain. However, the plague depleted the finances of the Byzantine Empire because it relied on taxation to finance its armies and construction projects. Justinian also became infected with the plague but survived. The Sasanian Empire, great rivals to the Byzantines who were based in Mesopotamia and Iran, were also affected, although we have fewer surviving records. Initially, they may have benefited, as they were able to make advances on the Byzantines in Armenia and the Levant. However, this began a series of long-term wars with the Byzantines that likely depleted their forces over time. This pandemic enabled the Sasanians to be more easily conquered in the 7th century by the rising Arabs.<ref>For more on the events during the plague, see: Little, L.K. (Ed.), 2008. <i>Plague and the end of antiquity: the pandemic of 541-750</i>, Paperback ed. ed. Cambridge Univ. Press, New York, NY. </ref> ====The Plague of Justinian dramatically weakened the Byzantine Empire ====
[[File:112719 bb plague feat-1028x579.jpg|thumbnail|left|300px|Figure 2. The historical impact of the plague is hard to determine but likely made the Byzantine Empire far weaker than it otherwise would have been.]]
The immediate consequence of the plague was that it severely limited Byzantine expansion across southern Europe, ending Justinian's dream of reuniting the Roman Empire.
However, it may have also resulted in Northern Europe following a different political and social trajectory. ensuring that its history was less affected by the Mediterranean region in subsequent centuries and the Medieval Period, northern Europe developed very differently from the Mediterranean regions. <ref>For more on the historical impact, see: Bray, R.S., 2004. <i>Armies of pestilence the effects of pandemics on history</i>. Clarke, Cambridge.</ref>
Many of these lands, particularly Jerusalem, Egypt, and Antioch, were critical to the Byzantines. Thus, the Byzantines launched a series of wars to recover these areas. This effort depleted both empires, leading to their weakened states. With these two great empires that effectively controlled the most important cities west of India weakened, the situation did enable the rising Arabs in the mid-7th century to take advantage of the declining powers across the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean. At this point, both those great empires were a shadow of their earlier versions.<ref>For more on the political and social change that occurred in the 6th and 7th centuries, perhaps resulting from the plague, see: Shepard, J. (Ed.), 2008. <i>The Cambridge history of the Byzantine Empire c. 500-1492</i>. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK ; New York.</ref>
====Summary====
The Plague of Justinian caused about a quarter of the population of the eastern Mediterranean to die or be severely affected . Even those who didn't die were impacted by the plague. The Byzantine Empire, when the plague occurred, was a rising empire spreading its power through southern Europe and the western Mediterranean. It is possible the empire could have reunited the Roman Empire, but the plague ultimately made this dream impossible. While we cannot be sure what would have happened if the epidemic did not occur, the emergence of northern Europe out of its Dark Age could may have been occurred sooner.
However, another possibility is that northern Europe, as it became isolated, developed its political institutions and relationships, leading to the rise of monarchies in Northern Europe that affected the regions there different from southern Europe and the Mediterranean. This may have led northern Europe to develop a very independent political history that may not have been possible without the plague. It is also possible that conquering Arab armies of the 7th century would have found it harder to defeat both the Sasanian and Byzantine Empires in the 7th century.
