\'Plague\' killed 91 Romans buried in mass grave

[Theodosius the Great]

These appear to be victims of the Antonine Plague from the time of Marcus Aurelius. The mass grave was discovered in 2005 and was filled with corpses of men, women, and children who were dumped there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 374836.stm

It seems they were killed by Small Pox since no evidence of physical trauma was discovered. DNA tests will be conducted to try and confirm the theory they died in an epidemic.

~Theo

[Jona Lendering]

Interesting! Most evidence is from Asia Minor and several scholars maintain that it was, essentially, a region affair.

[Tiberius Clodius Corvinus]

Most evidence is from Asia Minor and several scholars maintain that it was, essentially, a region affair.

... by a strange coincidence, I heard a lecture just today about the Severan Emperor dynasty and in that context my professor stated that the plague at the time of Marc Aurel had been taken back to Europe with the returning legions, that had successful fought the Parthians. Further he said it is not known which kind of plague it exactly was and in Europe were several different epidemies at that time. So the victims here in question are probably not died by the plague, that came from Asia, but were killed by an other epidemie.

[maarten]

Years ago an inscription was found in Germany, I think it was Mainz, from a centurio fulfilling his vows if his men would not suffer from the epidemic that raged through the empire. The inscription is dated between 160 and 180 AD. It is indeed believed to be the smallpox that were brought from the east into the west by the soldiers returning home. For further reading see Horstmanshoff, "Pijlen van de pest".

Maarten

[Barbara]

Yes, there are several sources for this antonine plague (smallpox). First of all we should (for those who don't know it already) mention Cassius Dio book 73 chapter 14, where he mentiones that in the year 189 up to 2000 people died per day from this plague in Rome (but like in all sources we should be sceptical with the numbers).

But there is another very interesting source from the provinces: 1992 in Virunum (Austria; Kärnten) was a inscription on a bronze tabula found, on wich the members of a religios community were named. In the year 184 5 of this 34 members were marked as dead and there was a meeting (something like a funeral service) for those who died by the plague ("et motalitatis causa convenerunt" + date). (Gernot Piccottini, Mithrastempel in Virunum. Klagenfurt 1994, S. 23f).

Other evidence comes from the western part of noricum, there was a tombstone found, naming four family members killed by the plague in 182 ("per luem vita functi sunt Memertino er Rufino cos.") (CIL III 5567).

The thesis, that the smallpox came from the east and spreaded over the west is also mentioned in Clive Ponting: A green history of the world. London 1991, but he blames the mearchants for bringing the smallpox from the east (china) to europe. He also refers to a later disease in the east with the strengthened returning smallpox in the 3rd and 4rth century.

But the thesis of several small diseases is interesting, too. Unfortunately I don't have Ponting's book here, but I think it was from Cassius Dio's source he found out that it definitly were the smallpox. There is another publication about the plague: J.F. Gilliam, Die Pest unter Marc Aurel. in: R. Klein (hrsg.): Marc Aurel. WBG 1979, S. 144ff.

[Octavianvs]

but he blames the merchants for bringing the smallpox from the east

I would think the chances better coming from merchant than Military. merchants have been bringing sickness through all of history, while militarys have also been exposed to sicknesses they move much slower and would I think notice the effects sooner and do something about it. merchants are moving fast to make delivery so less time to notice sickness after exposure but still can transmit the illness at the nearest port and when it is realised it is too late.

[Simplex]

Hello,
....in case one needs further reference :

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=21877

Greez

Simplex

[Octavianvs]

well done thank you Simplex