The Ancients Did Plague Destroy the Roman Empire?
31 snips
May 11, 2025 
Kyle Harper, a professor at the University of Oklahoma and author of 'The Fate of Rome', dives into the role of pandemics in the fall of the Roman Empire. He discusses the devastating effects of the Antonine and Cyprian plagues, linking disease to economic instability and military challenges. Harper explores how climate change intertwined with these pandemics, amplifying existing societal issues. He also examines the impact of luck in history and the transformative political shifts caused by these crises.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Nature's Role in Rome's Fall
- The fall of Rome is often attributed to human factors, but environmental and disease factors are crucial too.
- New scientific data now allows historians to better understand nature's role in history.
Low Roman Life Expectancy
- Roman life expectancy was extremely low around 25 years, heavily affected by infectious diseases.
- Lack of germ theory and modern medicine made everyday health perilous for Romans.
Roman Warm Period Stability
- The Roman Warm Period offered a relatively stable climate for agriculture and population.
- This stability likely prevented pandemics from becoming empire-wide during that era.
