health
The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review
A magisterial history of one of the worst ever pandemics focuses on the individuals caught up in the chaos
TL;DR
- The Black Death, between 1346-1353, killed approximately half the population in affected areas, making it the most lethal natural disaster in human history.
- The plague's reach was global, extending far beyond Europe into Africa and the Middle East, with significant population collapses recorded.
- Contemporary accounts highlight people's bafflement and horror, as disease theories were based on observation rather than germ theory.
- Bureaucratic records reveal the plague's severity, with a notable increase in wills drawn up in affected cities like Florence and Bologna.
- Despite the terror, society largely held together, with essential functions continuing and most people not abandoning the sick.
- A significant social contagion was the scapegoating and massacre of Jewish communities, falsely accused of poisoning wells.
- The Black Death became endemic, with recurrent outbreaks for centuries, and had long-term consequences like labor shortages contributing to the end of serfdom and potentially influencing major historical events.
- The article draws parallels between the Black Death and the COVID-19 pandemic, noting similar societal reactions and the ongoing threat of future pandemics.