One Of The World’s First Epidemics Helped Sparta Defeat Greece. Now, We Might Finally Know What Caused This “Plague Of Athens” In 430 BCE
Amnesia, foul breath, gangrene, and unstoppable diarrhea. These were just a few of the symptoms caused by an ancient disease known as the Plague of Athens, although the pathogen responsible for this hideous illness has remained a mystery for 2,500 years.The majority of what we know about the outbreak comes from the writings of the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who described the plague in his book History of the Peloponnesian War. According to Thucydides, the epidemic lasted from 430 to 426 BCE and claimed the lives of between 75,000 and 100,000 people, contributing to the end of the so-called Golden Age of Athens.One of the earliest recorded epidemics, the Plague of Athens is thought to have originated in sub-Saharan Africa before spreading across Libya and Egypt, eventually reaching Athens through the port at Piraeus. Among the victims was the famous general and statesman Pericles, while the massive death toll is said to have weakened the Athenian army and led to the city’s defeat at the hands of Sparta.Attempting to discern the cause of the affliction, researchers have now compared the symptoms described by Thucydides with those associated with 17 different diseases. For instance, the Plague of Athens was typified by high fever, rash, gastrointestinal complications, and gangrene, all of which are also seen in measles, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, and meningococcal disease.Thucydides also explained that sufferers experienced intense heat, and would often cast aside their clothing and seek out cold water. Death typically occurred after seven to nine days, and was commonly preceded by the development of abdominal ulcers and profuse diarrhea.Those that survived the infection, meanwhile, sometimes went on to suffer from severe amnesia, losing the ability to recollect their own name or recognize their loved ones. Overall, the researchers conclude that typhoid fever seems the most likely candidate, and is linked with nine of the 12 symptoms and characteristics described by Thucydides. It’s also noteworthy that DNA from Salmonella Typhi – the pathogen responsible for typhoid – has been detected in corpses from the only known graveyard from the Plague of Athens.However, typhoid fever is not transmitted by person-to-person infection, and therefore doesn’t match the ancient illness in this regard. Measles and meningococcal disease both hit eight of the 12 requirements, making them the next most likely suspects, although the researchers say a combination of pathogens circulating simultaneously could potentially give rise to the full dozen. For instance, typhus complicated by bubonic plague or dysentery, or a smallpox outbreak coinciding with cholera, might explain the full range of symptoms triggered by the Plague of Athens.Alternatively, the epidemic may have been caused by none of the above. Instead, an unknown pathogen that is now extinct might have been responsible. “For instance, an arenavirus akin to Lassa Fever Virus, originating from Africa and afflicting the population of Athens for nearly four years before succumbing to herd immunity, could be the answer to this mystery,” write the researchers.In the absence of detailed molecular analyses and cultured microorganisms extracted from victims, however, it’s impossible to say with any certainty what actually caused the deadly outbreak. For the first time, though, we do at least have a list of possible candidates.The study is published in the journal Acta Medico-Historica Adriatica.
