Pox Romana: The Plague That Shook the Roman World

Historian Elliott (Economic Theory and the Roman Monetary Economy) evaluates in this enlightening account the impact of the Antonine plague of 165 CE on the demise of the Pax Romana, a period of relative stability in the Roman Empire from 27 BCE to 180 CE. Elliott contends that the empire was actually fragile during the Pax, and that the extreme impact of the plague was a symptom of this fragility. Throughout the period, he explains, the empire was rife with urban overpopulation, rampant poverty, poor sanitation, endemic disease (especially malaria), foreign conflict, and civil unrest. These social issues, as well as a series of natural disasters (including flooding of the River Tiber, drought, and agricultural failure in Egypt) prior to the plague intensified its effects. Moreover, the interconnectedness of the empire served as a vector: Roman soldiers returned from fighting in Persia with the plague in tow, while migration and inter-regional trade within the empire further spread the contagion. The plague’s devastating consequences included food and supply shortages, economic crises, and political unrest. These effects, paired with the disease, are what eventually exhausted the brittle empire and ended the Pax, according to Elliott. Challenged by the meager documentation available, he expertly draws on trace evidence such as census records, real estate contracts, and paleoclimate research to make his case. It’s an informative history that serves to encourage better pandemic preparedness today. (Feb.)