Justinian Plague caused by “Bubonic Plague”

[guy]

 

There have been numerous posts before discussing the possible cause of the Justinian Plague that devastated the Byzantine Empire (AD 541-760). By using targeted DNA analysis of eight human teeth excavated from burial chambers beneath a former Roman hippodrome in Jerash, Egypt, researchers have successfully sequenced the genetic material matching Yersinia pestis, the cause of the later famous “Bubonic Plague” that ravaged Europe several centuries later.

 

🦠 Rewriting the Origins of the First Pandemic: The Plague of Justinian

Two landmark studies—one published in Genes and another by USF Health—have finally provided direct genomic evidence of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind the Plague of Justinian (541–750 CE), in the Eastern Mediterranean, near the pandemic’s historical epicenter.

🔍 Key Discoveries:

Site of Discovery: A mass grave beneath the Roman hippodrome in Jerash, Jordan (ancient Gerasa), just 330 km from Pelusium, where the plague was first recorded.

Genetic Confirmation: DNA from eight teeth showed nearly identical Y. pestis strains across five individuals, indicating a swift, localized outbreak.

Historical Significance: This represents the first genomic evidence of plague within the Byzantine Empire, filling a significant gap between historical records and biological confirmation.

Virulence Factors: The Jerash strain possesses key genes (Ymt, Pla, F1 capsule) related to flea transmission and epidemic potential, linking it to other First Pandemic strains.

Evolutionary Context: The pathogen did not originate from a single ancestral strain but repeatedly emerged from zoonotic reservoirs—unlike viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

 

https://www.usf.edu/health/news/2025/usf-research-rewrites-origins-of-first-pandemic.aspx

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/16/8/926

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2025 by guy