Unraveled secret of a 1500-year-old crisis, labeled as the world's initial pandemic, through ancient genetic research.

In a groundbreaking discovery, an international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and universities in the United States, have confirmed the presence of the bacterium Yersinia pestis at the epicenter of the Plague of Justinian.

The research, published in the journal Genes, focuses on the ancient city of Jerash in Jordan, a site that was near the original epicenter of the outbreak almost 1,500 years ago. Genetic analysis of human teeth excavated from burial chambers beneath the former Roman hippodrome in Jerash revealed almost identical strains of Y. pestis, providing definitive proof of the plague's presence in the Byzantine Empire between AD 550 and 660.

The Plague of Justinian, a devastating catastrophe that occurred from AD 541-750, was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This plague claimed millions of lives and crippled the Byzantine Empire, weakening its administrative capabilities. The destructive sweep of the plague ultimately altered the course of Western civilization, contributing to the rise of new political powers and reshaping the geopolitical landscape.

The findings serve as a stark reminder that while we live in a different world, the threat of certain pathogens never truly goes away. The plague victims carried nearly identical genetic strains, indicating a rapid and destructive outbreak consistent with historical descriptions of the Plague of Justinian.

Interestingly, the plague did not spread from a single ancestral strain but repeatedly emerged from animal populations over millennia, evolving and erupting in multiple waves across different regions and eras. A companion study revealed that the Plague of Justinian was not a unique catastrophe from the bygone era, but a recurring biological event tied to human gathering, movement, and environmental shifts.

In a separate development, a person died from pneumonic plague in Arizona in July, marking the first such U.S. fatality since 2007. This underscores the ongoing presence of Yersinia pestis in the modern world.

The ancient city of Jerash offers a poignant glimpse into how societies grappled with the Plague of Justinian, a public health disaster. As we continue to navigate the challenges posed by modern pandemics, understanding the history and recurring nature of such events can provide valuable insights for our responses today.