Cautionary Tales of Medieval Living | Mother Nature: Unpredictable, Untamable, and Relentlessly Powerful

Mother Nature can be unpredictable, untamable, and relentlessly powerful, as noted in Procopius’s Book “History of the Wars,” written during the reign of Emperor Justinian I (537-554 CE). The “History of Wars” contains detailed accounts of military campaigns and events. A catastrophic volcanic eruption caused the Volcanic Famine of 536 CE. The volcano is thought to have been somewhere in Iceland and caused a massive release of ash and sulfate aerosols into the atmosphere, causing a dramatic cooling effect. This led to widespread crop failures, famine, and social upheaval across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Tree ring analysis and historical accounts tell us temperatures fell significantly, with some areas experiencing summer snow. Subsequent eruptions occurred in 539 and 547.

The Byzantine historian, Procopius, wrote:

“For the sun gave forth its light without brightness... and it seemed exceedingly like the sun in eclipse, for the beams it shed were not clear.”

As if the 536 CE abrupt climate change were not enough, the Justinian Plague began five years later in 541 CE and lasted another eight years until 549 CE. It first appeared in Pelusium, a port city in Egypt. A bacterium, Yersinia pestis, was the cause. The disease was transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas and traveled the trade routes in grain ships carrying infected fleas and rats. It can also live for weeks in tainted soil, causing more exposure.

It’s estimated that the Justinian Plague caused between twenty-five million and one hundred million deaths between 541 and 767 CE. At the height of the outbreak, it killed five thousand people daily, and over time, reduced populations in affected regions by as much as twenty-five to sixty percent. Its long-term effects profoundly influenced the economy, society, and even history.

If we as a country deny science, history, and education, thwarting them at every turn, it will not take long to return to a similar scenario. We have had a recent reminder in the COVID-19 pandemic, but we seem to forget quickly.