Researchers confirmed Yersinia pestis caused the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic 1,500 years ago.
They traced the deadly bacterium to its epicentre for the first time.
Scientists discovered Yersinia pestis in a mass grave beneath Jerash’s ruins in Jordan, providing direct biological proof.
Lead researcher Rays HY Jiang said their study offers the first genetic window into the pandemic’s spread.
Justinian Plague’s Deadly Impact
The Justinian Plague began in 541 CE and spread across the eastern Mediterranean and Byzantine Empire.
Historians estimate the pandemic killed 15 to 100 million people over two centuries of recurring outbreaks.
Researchers confirmed Yersinia pestis, later responsible for the Black Death, as the culprit.
The bacterium spreads via fleas on rodents, especially rats, and can transmit directly between humans pneumonically.
DNA Reveals Ancient Outbreak
Scientists used DNA analysis on eight teeth from Jerash’s Roman hippodrome burial chambers.
The DNA showed nearly identical Yersinia pestis strains, confirming the bacterium’s presence from 550 to 660 AD.
Findings indicate a rapid, lethal outbreak, matching historical accounts of mass fatalities.
Lessons from Jerash
Jiang said the Jerash site shows how urban centres struggled to manage public health crises.
A venue built for entertainment and trade became a mass cemetery, highlighting the pandemic’s severity.
Plague Persists Across Millennia
Related research shows Yersinia pestis circulated among humans long before the Justinian Plague.
Later pandemics, including the Black Death and modern cases, arose independently from animal reservoirs.
Jiang warned that plague, like COVID, evolves continuously, and humans cannot fully eliminate the threat.
