Pandemic
Plague of Justinian
Yersinia pestis
30.0M
estimated deaths
Period
541–549
Origin
Egypt
Death range
25.0M–50.0M
Infected
80.0M
Overview
The Plague of Justinian was the first major pandemic recorded in history, striking the Byzantine Empire and surrounding regions. Caused by Yersinia pestis — the same bacterium behind the Black Death — it killed between 25 and 50 million people, possibly half the population of Europe. It devastated Constantinople, killing thousands per day at its peak, and contributed to the decline of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Historical Timeline
541Outbreak begins in Egypt
542Reaches Constantinople
544Peak mortality
549End of first wave
Symptoms
Buboes (swollen lymph nodes)
High fever
Gangrene of extremities
Delirium
Vomiting blood
Affected Regions
Constantinople
Rome
Eastern Mediterranean
Egypt
Sources & References
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