A Mysterious and Deadly Disease
Around 165 A.D., a terrifying new disease spread through the Roman Empire. Smallpox arrived, causing fever, black pocks, and internal scabbing, which left survivors scarred for life. Over 10% of the population—about 7.5 million people—died as the disease ravaged cities.
Society in Chaos
At its peak in 189 A.D., the plague killed 2,000 people daily in Rome, devastating armies, aristocracies, and peasant communities. Farms were abandoned, councils left empty, and fear spread as amulets and prayers to gods like Apollo became common attempts to ward off the illness.
A Determined Response
Emperor Marcus Aurelius recruited slaves and gladiators to refill the army and invited migrants to repopulate abandoned towns. Cities replaced lost leaders with freedmen’s sons, rebuilding devastated communities in the face of unparalleled loss.
A Society Rebuilt
Despite the devastation, Rome endured. Historians like Cassius Dio described the era as one of perseverance and recovery. Though smallpox left a scar, it demonstrated Rome’s capacity to adapt and survive through collective effort.
At its peak in 189 A.D., the plague killed 2,000 people daily in Rome, devastating armies, aristocracies, and peasant communities. Farms were abandoned, councils left empty, and fear spread as amulets and prayers to gods like Apollo became common attempts to ward off the illness. pic.twitter.com/1ARyN8QAvz
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