Justinian's flea : plague, empire, and the birth of Europe

The Emperor Justinian reunified Romes fractured empire by defeating the Goths and Vandals who had separated Italy, Spain, and North Africa from imperial rule. In his capital at Constantinople he built the world's most beautiful building, married its most powerful empress, and wrote its most enduring legal code, seemingly restoring Rome's fortunes for the next five hundred years. Then, in the summer of 542, he encountered a flea. The ensuing outbreak of bubonic plague killed five thousand people a day in Constantinople and nearly killed Justinian himself. In Justinian's Flea , William Rosen tells the story of history's first pandemic plague seven centuries before the Black Death that killed tens of millions, devastated the empires of Persia and Rome, left a path of victims from Ireland to Iraq, and opened the way for the armies of Islam. Weaving together evolutionary microbiology, economics, military strategy, ecology, and ancient and modern medicine, Rosen offers a sweeping narrative of one of the great hinge moments in history, one that will appeal to readers of John Kelly's The Great Mortality , John Barry's The Great Influenza , and Jared Diamond's Collapse . Weaving Together Evolutionary Microbiology, Economics, Military Strategy, Ecology, And Ancient And Modern Medicine, Author Rosen Tells Of History's First Pandemic--a Plague Seven Centuries Before The Black Death That Killed Tens Of Millions, Devastated The Empires Of Persia And Rome, Left Victims From Ireland To Iraq, And Opened The Way For The Armies Of Islam. Emperor Justinian Had Reunified Rome's Fractured Empire By Defeating The Goths And Vandals Who Had Separated Italy, Spain, And North Africa From Imperial Rule. In His Capital At Constantinople He Built The World's Most Beautiful Building, Married Its Most Powerful Empress, And Wrote Its Most Enduring Legal Code, Seemingly Restoring Rome's Fortunes. Then, In The Summer Of 542, He Encountered A Flea. The Ensuing Outbreak Of Bubonic Plague Killed Five Thousand People A Day In Constantinople And Nearly Killed Justinian Himself, Bringing About One Of The Great Hinge Moments In History.--from Publisher Description. Introduction: Three Thousand-body Problem -- Prologue: Pelusium -- Part 1: Emperor -- 1: Four Princes Of The World [286-470] -- 2: We Do Not Love Anything Uncivilized [337-518] -- 3: Our Most Pious Consort [518-530] -- Part 2: Glory -- 4: Solomon, I Have Outdone Thee [530-537] -- 5: Live Honorably, Harm Nobody, And Give Everyone His Due [533-537] -- 6: Victories Granted Us By Heaven [533-537] -- Part 3: Bacterium -- 7: Daughter Of Chance And Number -- 8: From So Simple A Beginning -- 9: Fury Of The Wrath Of God [540-542] -- Part 4: Pandemic -- 10: Man Of Unruly Mind [523-545] -- 11: No Small Grace [545-664] -- 12: Thread You Cannot Unravel [548-558] -- 13: This Country Of Silk [559-565] -- Epilogue: Yarmuk [636] -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Bibliographical Note -- Index. William Rosen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 329-349) And Index. A richly told story of the collision between nature's smallest organism and history's mightiest empireThe Emperor Justinian reunified Rome's fractured empire by defeating the Goths and Vandals who had separated Italy, Spain, and North Africa from imperial rule. In his capital at Constantinople he built the world's most beautiful building, married its most powerful empress, and wrote its most enduring legal code, seemingly restoring Rome's fortunes for the next five hundred years. Then, in the summer of 542, he encountered a flea. The ensuing outbreak of bubonic plague killed five thousand people a day in Constantinople and nearly killed Justinian himself.In Justinian's Flea, William Rosen tells the story of history's first pandemic—a plague seven centuries before the Black Death that killed tens of millions, devastated the empires of Persia and Rome, left a path of victims from Ireland to Iraq, and opened the way for the armies of Islam. Weaving together evolutionary microbiology, economics, military strategy, ecology, and ancient and modern medicine, Rosen offers a sweeping narrative of one of the great hinge moments in history, one that will appeal to readers of John Kelly's The Great Mortality, John Barry's The Great Influenza, and Jared Diamond's Collapse. From the acclaimed author of Miracle Cure and The Third Horseman, the epic story of the collision between one of nature's smallest organisms and history's mightiest empire During the golden age of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian reigned over a territory that stretched from Italy to North Africa. It was the zenith of his achievements and the last of them. In 542 AD, the bubonic plague struck. In weeks, the glorious classical world of Justinian had been plunged into the medieval and modern Europe was born. At its height, five thousand people died every day in Constantinople. Cities were completely depopulated. It was the first pandemic the world had ever known and it left its indelible mark: when the plague finally ended, more than 25 million people were dead. Weaving together history, microbiology, ecology, jurisprudence, theology, and epidemiology, Justinian's Flea is a unique and sweeping account of the little known event that changed the course of a continent.