Scientists confirmed Yersinia pestis, later causing the Black Death, triggered the Justinian Plague 1,500 years ago.
They traced the bacterium to Jerash, Jordan, marking the first identification of the pandemic’s epicentre.
Researchers discovered Y pestis DNA in a mass grave beneath the ancient Roman ruins.
Lead author Rays HY Jiang said the study provides the first genetic evidence showing how the outbreak unfolded.
Justinian Plague’s Deadly Impact
The Justinian Plague began in 541 CE and swept through the eastern Mediterranean and Byzantine Empire.
Historians estimate the outbreak killed 15 to 100 million people over two centuries of recurring waves.
Researchers confirmed Yersinia pestis caused the outbreak, the same bacterium behind the Black Death in 1346.
The bacterium spreads via fleas on rodents and can transmit directly between humans in pneumonic form.
DNA Unlocks Ancient Outbreak
Scientists examined eight human teeth from burial chambers under Jerash’s Roman hippodrome using advanced DNA techniques.
They found almost identical Y pestis strains, confirming its presence in the empire between 550 and 660 AD.
Findings suggest a rapid, lethal outbreak, matching historical records of mass fatalities in the region.
Jiang noted that Jerash, a trade hub and entertainment centre, became a mass cemetery during the emergency.
Plague’s Persistent Threat
A related study shows Y pestis circulated among humans long before the Justinian Plague.
Later pandemics, including the Black Death and modern cases, emerged independently from animal reservoirs.
Jiang warned that plague, like COVID, continues to evolve and will never fully disappear.
Containment can reduce risk, but humans must remain cautious, as the bacterium persists across centuries.
