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Introduction: Pandemics have occurred frequently throughout human history, particularly since the onset of large states and empires. For a pandemic to happen, the subjects must be connected and live closely together in sufficient numbers for the infection (viral or bacterial) to flourish. That means urbanization, trade and communications as pre-conditions. The pre-history of epidemics is agriculture and the domestication of animals. Once humans started living in proximity to animals, we became vulnerable to their illnesses. Small pox was probably a mutation of cow pox, and flu came from pigs. With his tongue no doubt in cheek, ethnologist Jared Diamond described the establishment of agricultural communities as "Humanities Greatest Mistake". If we had continued to live in small, semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer communities, the human race would be much healthier on the average. The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race . Diamond also described the dire consequences of novel plagues for indigenous people lacking immunity to new diseases in his book Guns, Germs and Steel . Athens, 430 BCE (Before Current Era) A plague spread among Mediterranean port cities, but had its worst effects in the city of Athens, then engaged in a long war with its Greek rival, Sparta. The plague spread quickly and was highly virulent because the city was crowded with refugees displaced by the war. Estimates of the dead are upward of 70,000 people, among them the great Athenian leader, Pericles. Though the war lasted over another 20 years, Athens was fatally weakened by the loss of life. The historian Thucydides attributed the Athenian defeat to its departure from Pericles' strategy. The disease may have been an Ebola-type virus. The Roman Empire, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Centuries CE The Roman Empire was at the peak of its power in the 2nd century CE (Current Era). However, it was an early textbook case for a pandemic. The Romans did have public bathhouses in their cities, and public toilets, but today we would find their hygiene superficial. However, the early Roman Empire did see economic growth and a (relative) rise in living standards. But then ... The Antonine Plague (165 - 180 CE): In the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 - 180 CE), a Roman Army returned from the East, where it had been fighting a war against the Persians, bringing a new disease with it. Historians now believe this was the first outbreak of small pox, based on the description of the Emperor's doctor, Galen. It was also Europe's first pandemic. Millions died, including the Emperor himself, whole areas were depopulated, and the death toll may have run to 5 millions, some 25% of the population, though some estimate 40% or more. There is evidence that the disease also ravaged China at roughly the same time. The Plague of St Cyprian ( 249 - 262 CE): So named after a Bishop of Carthage, who left a description. The disease could have been small pox, measles (a first outbreak), influenza, or a virus like Ebola. The death toll may have been of the order of the Antonine Plague. Political & Military Effects of the Two Plagues : Marcus Aurelius had been engaging in wars with the Persians and with Confederations of Germanic tribes, so the plagues on both occasions caused a major manpower crisis in the Roman Army. Desperate efforts at conscription could not repair the gaps, so it became expedient to employ German soldiers formerly considered barbarians, and even re-settle them in the Empire. This was to have some fatal consequences. At the time of the Plague of Cyprian, the Empire suffered the "Crisis of the Third Century", when emboldened Germanic peoples breached the frontiers and raided deep within the provinces. The Empire was only saved by a resilient army, but at a terrible cost. Disaster was only narrowly avoided. In the words of historian Kyle Harper: "The structural integrity of the imperial machine burst apart. The frontier system crumbled. The collapse of legitimacy invited one usurper after another to try for the throne. The empire fragmented and only the dramatic success of later emperors in putting the pieces back together prevented this moment from being the final act of Roman imperial history ." Social and Cultural Consequences: Harper notes a profound change in Roman religion around this time, reflecting a collapse in morale, and confidence in the old Gods. First a cult of Apollo arose, then in the 3rd century he notes a reduction in the building of temples. Some eastern cults, like that of Mithras, gained ground but so did another one - Christianity. The early Christians viewed the ongoing plagues and military disasters as signs of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. They provided an explanation and hope that other religions did not. The new military Emperors looked to religion as a unifying force, and in 313 CE, the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the State Religion. The Plague of Justinian , (541 - 542 CE, with recurrences): This was a devastating plague that killed millions in the Mediterranean Basin, in the Middle East and Central Asia, possibly also in China. Justinian was the Emperor of the Eastern (or Byzantine) Empire at the time. He caught the disease, but survived. Modern biological research shows that the disease was Bubonic Plague, as was the Medieval Black Death, and originated in Central Asia. Political and Military Effects of the Justinian Plague: Justinian was the last Eastern Emperor with the ambition to revive Roman hegemony in the Western Mediterranean, sending military expeditions to Italy, North Africa and Spain. However, the weakening of the Empire by the plague put the effort beyond the resources of the Byzantines. The "Roman Empire" fell apart, and the Byzantine Empire became one of a number of smaller successor states. Social and Cultural Effects of the Justinian Plague: The Dark Ages began, and the cultures of the classical world collapsed. Wealth and trade reduced, populations shrank, average health dis-improved, literacy declined and material standards dropped all over Europe and the Middle East. There is a good interview with Professor Kyle Harper on this podcast: Interview: Historian Kyle Harper on Disease, Climate and the Fall of the Roman Empire . (He has interesting things to say about pandemics and climate, too, but that can be kept be kept for another day) The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and... by Harper, Kyle Buy The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire (The Princeton History of the Ancient World): 2 Illustrated by Harper, Kyle (ISBN: 9780691166834) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. www.amazon.co.uk Great pandemics have also struck Ireland as well - the Plague of Justinian was here known as An blefed [circa 535 AD] and killed multiples of Irish People most likely We were again struck by a pandemic in circa 660 AD An Buidhe Connail which was also of devastating impact When the Black Death came to Ireland in 1348 it was probably the most devastating one we have ever experienced that gutted the Anglo Irish Colony the most - but Gaelic Ireland did not escape unscathed either. While there were recurrent outbreaks into the 15th century none were quite as bad as the initial one that we experienced. The next great out break of Plague was in the 1640s when Disease, Famine and War absolutely devastated Ireland but we don't know whether it was just one disease or a range of ailments that combined with a dearth of foodstuffs so weakened the populace that they succumbed to anything that was going - but the Plague [ie The 'Black Death'] was still a virulent force in 17th Century Europe. While there were famines and outbreaks the next stand alone disease that struck on its own was the Cholera Epidemic of 1832 [iirc] which killed 10s of thousands here and again was a common in larger cities and towns in Europe at that time and this one swept across the continent too. The last great epidemic we experienced was the 'Spanish Flu' of 1918 -1918 which was probably brought from China by Coolies working as labourers in France during the War. It spread rapidly amongst populations already weakened by war rationing and in overcrowded army camps. When the war ended the soldiers took it home with them... In Ireland it took the lives of at least 20,000 men, women and children, possibly double that number - say 40,00 or so as many deaths went undiagnosed. Today we face another one but we are infinitely better able to cope than any previous generation could have done so. On the other hand at no stage in human history have so many people lived in such large urban conglomerates - nor have so many people been on the move with such speed across the Globe... owedtojoy said: Introduction: Pandemics have occurred frequently throughout human history, particularly since the onset of large states and empires. For a pandemic to happen, the subjects must be connected and live closely together in sufficient numbers for the infection (viral or bacterial) to flourish. That means urbanization, trade and communications as pre-conditions. The pre-history of epidemics is agriculture and the domestication of animals. Once humans started living in proximity to animals, we became vulnerable to their illnesses. Small pox was probably a mutation of cow pox, and flu came from pigs. With his tongue no doubt in cheek, ethnologist Jared Diamond described the establishment of agricultural communities as "Humanities Greatest Mistake". If we had continued to live in small, semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer communities, the human race would be much healthier on the average. The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race . Diamond also described the dire consequences of novel plagues for indigenous people lacking immunity to new diseases in his book Guns, Germs and Steel . Athens, 430 BCE (Before Current Era) A plague spread among Mediterranean port cities, but had its worst effects in the city of Athens, then engaged in a long war with its Greek rival, Sparta. The plague spread quickly and was highly virulent because the city was crowded with refugees displaced by the war. Estimates of the dead are upward of 70,000 people, among them the great Athenian leader, Pericles. Though the war lasted over another 20 years, Athens was fatally weakened by the loss of life. The historian Thucydides attributed the Athenian defeat to its departure from Pericles' strategy. The disease may have been an Ebola-type virus. The Roman Empire, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Centuries CE The Roman Empire was at the peak of its power in the 2nd century CE (Current Era). However, it was an early textbook case for a pandemic. The Romans did have public bathhouses in their cities, and public toilets, but today we would find their hygiene superficial. However, the early Roman Empire did see economic growth and a (relative) rise in living standards. But then ... The Antonine Plague (165 - 180 CE): In the reign of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121 - 180 CE), a Roman Army returned from the East, where it had been fighting a war against the Persians, bringing a new disease with it. Historians now believe this was the first outbreak of small pox, based on the description of the Emperor's doctor, Galen. It was also Europe's first pandemic. Millions died, including the Emperor himself, whole areas were depopulated, and the death toll may have run to 5 millions, some 25% of the population, though some estimate 40% or more. There is evidence that the disease also ravaged China at roughly the same time. The Plague of St Cyprian ( 249 - 262 CE): So named after a Bishop of Carthage, who left a description. The disease could have been small pox, measles (a first outbreak), influenza, or a virus like Ebola. The death toll may have been of the order of the Antonine Plague. Political & Military Effects of the Two Plagues : Marcus Aurelius had been engaging in wars with the Persians and with Confederations of Germanic tribes, so the plagues on both occasions caused a major manpower crisis in the Roman Army. Desperate efforts at conscription could not repair the gaps, so it became expedient to employ German soldiers formerly considered barbarians, and even re-settle them in the Empire. This was to have some fatal consequences. At the time of the Plague of Cyprian, the Empire suffered the "Crisis of the Third Century", when emboldened Germanic peoples breached the frontiers and raided deep within the provinces. The Empire was only saved by a resilient army, but at a terrible cost. Disaster was only narrowly avoided. In the words of historian Kyle Harper: "The structural integrity of the imperial machine burst apart. The frontier system crumbled. The collapse of legitimacy invited one usurper after another to try for the throne. The empire fragmented and only the dramatic success of later emperors in putting the pieces back together prevented this moment from being the final act of Roman imperial history ." Social and Cultural Consequences: Harper notes a profound change in Roman religion around this time, reflecting a collapse in morale, and confidence in the old Gods. First a cult of Apollo arose, then in the 3rd century he notes a reduction in the building of temples. Some eastern cults, like that of Mithras, gained ground but so did another one - Christianity. The early Christians viewed the ongoing plagues and military disasters as signs of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. They provided an explanation and hope that other religions did not. The new military Emperors looked to religion as a unifying force, and in 313 CE, the Emperor Constantine made Christianity the State Religion. The Plague of Justinian , (541 - 542 CE, with recurrences): This was a devastating plague that killed millions in the Mediterranean Basin, in the Middle East and Central Asia, possibly also in China. Justinian was the Emperor of the Eastern (or Byzantine) Empire at the time. He caught the disease, but survived. Modern biological research shows that the disease was Bubonic Plague, as was the Medieval Black Death, and originated in Central Asia. Political and Military Effects of the Justinian Plague: Justinian was the last Eastern Emperor with the ambition to revive Roman hegemony in the Western Mediterranean, sending military expeditions to Italy, North Africa and Spain. However, the weakening of the Empire by the plague put the effort beyond the resources of the Byzantines. The "Roman Empire" fell apart, and the Byzantine Empire became one of a number of smaller successor states. Social and Cultural Effects of the Justinian Plague: The Dark Ages began, and the cultures of the classical world collapsed. Wealth and trade reduced, populations shrank, average health dis-improved, literacy declined and material standards dropped all over Europe and the Middle East. There is a good interview with Professor Kyle Harper on this podcast: Interview: Historian Kyle Harper on Disease, Climate and the Fall of the Roman Empire . (He has interesting things to say about pandemics and climate, too, but that can be kept be kept for another day) The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and... by Harper, Kyle Buy The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire (The Princeton History of the Ancient World): 2 Illustrated by Harper, Kyle (ISBN: 9780691166834) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. www.amazon.co.uk Click to expand... Excellent OP. Viruses seem to exploit the human drive to social groupings, cooperation and interaction. I think we see a similar Achilles heel in other social species, such as bees. Just a thought - I am far from knowledgeable about this stuff. rainmaker said: Excellent OP. Viruses seem exploit the human drive to social groupings, cooperation and interaction. I think we see a similar Achilles heel in other social species, such as bees. Just a thought - I am far from knowledgeable about this stuff. Click to expand... It is an startling thought that we are just vehicles for unintelligent life forms that feed off us, like we do off other life forms. For viral disease to flourish, you need a physically connected civilization. For novel diseases you need human-animal contact. Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Put it another way, if this pandemic damages social fabric, can we find other healthier ways of living together? owedtojoy said: It is an startling thought that we are just vehicles for unintelligent life forms that feed off us, like we do off other life forms. For viral disease to flourish, you need a physically connected civilization. For novel diseases you need human-animal contact. Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Put it another way, if this pandemic damages social fabric, can we find other healthier ways of living together ? Click to expand... One of the things I have noticed about globalisation is that it has moved people around the globe in fairly strange ways. Irish people emigrate to the Anglosphere as an educated second tier - for instance, while we export lots of Irish technicians to London (scientists, accountants, medical personal etc) NY, Sydney and other Anglosphere cities, we are importing Spaniards and E Europeans to fill third tier positions here. All of them hoping to be better paid as immigrants than they would be at home. In Spain, there is a lot of immigration from S America and N Africa, in E Europe, lots of Ukrainians, for instance. It's a sort of a chain. This creates a type of underclass, either an actual underclass such as building workers, "hospitality" workers, cleaners etc; or a relative underclass like the Irish in England, who do not take any great interest in the country of adoption. They lower wages for the indigenous worker, and do not and in most cases cannot take part in the political life of the new country which skews political representation away from the workers' interests and pushes politics into a more conservative, any change agenda - because if you want change, then the system isn't working very well for you. What I'd like to see come out of this is a more locally-based economy, where those who arrive here can join our society as full members, and not as a group who are excluded from our society and who end up as an underclass as has happpened in most parts of Europe. History's Deadliest Pandemics: From Antonine Plague To COVID-19 DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@internet.ru Donation alerts: https://donationalerts.com/r/southfront Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/southfront Or... southfront.org Pandemics in death toll order: Black Death (Bubonic Plague) – 200 million dead New World Smallpox Outbreak – 56 million dead Spanish Flu – 40-50 million dead Plague of Justinian – 30-50 million dead HIV/AIDS – 25-35 million dead Third Plague – 12 million dead Antonine Plague – 5 million dead 17th Century Great Plagues – 3 million dead Asian Flu – 1.1 million dead Russian Flu – 1 million dead Cholera Pandemics 1-6 – 1 million dead Japanese Smallpox epidemic – 1 million dead Hong Kong Flu – 1 million dead 18th Century Great Plagues – 600 thousand dead Swine Flu – 200 thousand dead Yellow Fever – 100-150 thousand dead Ebola – 11.3 thousand dead COVID-19 – 9,000 (as of March 19) MERS – 850 dead SARS – 770 dead The Plague of Justinian is reckoned by some to have hastened the takeover of southern and eastern Britain by the Anglo-Saxons. owedtojoy said: Could we return to living in virtual small groups using communications technology, subsisting on artificially created food products? Click to expand... Interesting idea. It's kind of what's happening now with these lock downs. Though I would wonder given the size of the human population, if there is enough space for the number of small groupings that would that be required for such a transition now. middleground said: Pandemics in death toll order: Black Death (Bubonic Plague) – 200 million dead New World Smallpox Outbreak – 56 million dead Spanish Flu – 40-50 million dead Plague of Justinian – 30-50 million dead HIV/AIDS – 25-35 million dead Third Plague – 12 million dead Antonine Plague – 5 million dead 17th Century Great Plagues – 3 million dead Asian Flu – 1.1 million dead Russian Flu – 1 million dead Cholera Pandemics 1-6 – 1 million dead Japanese Smallpox epidemic – 1 million dead Hong Kong Flu – 1 million dead 18th Century Great Plagues – 600 thousand dead Swine Flu – 200 thousand dead Yellow Fever – 100-150 thousand dead Ebola – 11.3 thousand dead COVID-19 – 9,000 (as of March 19) MERS – 850 dead SARS – 770 dead Click to expand... I had not realised the HIV-AIDS epidemic was so deadly. One things that stands out is that as we move into modern times, pandemics become less deadly in terms of total mortality, but on they other hand, pandemics are becoming more frequent. The first is a tribute to improved medical science and public health programs, while the second is a product (among other things) of increasing connectedness and globalization. parentheses said: The Plague of Justinian is reckoned by some to have hastened the takeover of southern and eastern Britain by the Anglo-Saxons. Click to expand... Yes, I loaned out Harper's book so I cannot check up on what he says, but I think it gets a mention. Definitely, depopulation of the Empire presented scope and opportunity for "barbarian" interlopers. These were not necessarily the big tribes of legend, but group of warriors who created a new power structure, then catalyzed cultural and linguistic change. Neither genetic records nor archaeological excavations show a massive shift of Saxons into south-west England in the 6th century. Yet within 200 years the political and cultural landscape completely changed. Thank you owedtojoy and Catahualpa fora most interesting, intelligent thread. Excellent OP, a broad and topical canvas to paint on. Where is syphilis in the list of plagues, one (generally accepted) riposte from the New World? Sorry, am I missing it there somewhere? Just losing Franz Schubert prematurely was a significant blow to world culture. The toll taken on the peoples of the Americas by European diseases is difficult to quantify but went on for centuries. Here is one relatively minor example among the Inuit (Eskimo) that still resonates locally in my Canadian province: Abandoned Hebron Mission This remote Moravian mission brought Christianity—as well as devastation—to the Inuit people. www.atlasobscura.com Notwithstanding that and even as I stand on their land, my immediate, twitter-sized response would be, are epidemics and pandemics not just the price of hom sap ‘success’ and civilization too? We’re not ’designed’ to live so close together but if we were to revert back to our original small groups, one unpleasant problem of quite a few we’d face is that we might eventually separate into competing humanoid species - and we’re bad enough as one. Straying covidly more than a little, I would concede that technology can help us considerably in fighting novel cross-species infections but one clear strategy is to go deep into our past and embrace the dietary preferences of Australopithecus or, even better, Purgatorius who must have been named by a carnivore: Purgatorius was an accomplished tree climber—and a vegan. It gave up the insect-based diet of its ancestors in favor of newly abundant fruits and flowers, carving for itself a comfortable niche high in the branches. For tens of millions of years, the descendants of Purgatorius were committed to their plant-based diets. From small monkeys to gorilla-size apes, they survived mostly on tropical fruits, spicing their meals with occasional worms (often by accident). Around 15 million years ago, they diversified a bit, adding hard seeds and nuts to their diets, but stayed true to their vegan roots. How Humans Became Meat Eaters Our earliest ancestors subsisted on plants, seeds, and nuts. What spurred them to change their diets so dramatically? www.theatlantic.com Click to expand... Here he is how he might have looked, although this lad is clearly posing: Being something like that up there in the foliage is a line of work I wouldn’t have minded at all - you basically have the story of my fantasy life right there. Let’s add a bit of cooking to his (or her) diet and then we‘ll really have the microbes on the run. Great OP as usual from OtJ. There have been huge social changes following pandemics and its effect on society. Famously living conditions, wages and the general lot in life of farm labourers changed dramatically after the winnowing brought by the Black Death. Labourers were little better than the Kulaks of the Steppes in that regard, until they became rare and highly sought after. The most curious thing I've seen in between two separate news items detailing the spread of coronavirus around the world, and that was an advertising break in which the voice-over began with 'by 2050 there will be ten billion people on this planet' and I remember thinking 'are you sure about that?' We may have gone across a tipping point in terms of overpopulation and could view the emergence of pandemics from high population density areas in Asia as warnings that we have crossed that line. We are part of only two categories of species on the planet- flora and fauna. We already know from observation of ebb and flow of animal population that overly successful breeders run into environmental barriers. They either outstrip their natural environment or their environment reduces them back to sustainable levels. This has happened most notably with Tasmanian Devils in the southern hemisphere. Soon as they were protected and allowed to grow way beyond their environment's ability to sustain them they developed an auto-immune style disease outbreak which is still being studied as we speak. We may need to abandon such casual milestones as having ten billion people on the planet, as this is something the environment, Nature, NORA (Naturally Occurring Random Artifice) uses to police the fauna population. While I don't think allocation of names or anthropomorphising risks and assigning them names is overall a great idea as that has gone awry in the past there are some benefits to assuming that we aren't the only intelligence around. We may be the chattiest, noisiest and most careless of our environment but if there is a system for handling overpopulation on the planet among its fauna we don't have an exemption certificate just because we are human. Ardillaun said: Excellent OP, a broad and topical canvas to paint on. Where is syphilis in the list of plagues, one (generally accepted) riposte from the New World? Sorry, am I missing it there somewhere? Just losing Franz Schubert prematurely was a significant blow to world culture. The toll taken on the peoples of the Americas by European diseases is difficult to quantify but went on for centuries. Here is one relatively minor example among the Inuit (Eskimo) that still resonates locally in my Canadian province: Abandoned Hebron Mission This remote Moravian mission brought Christianity—as well as devastation—to the Inuit people. www.atlasobscura.com Notwithstanding that and even as I stand on their land, my immediate, twitter-sized response would be, are epidemics and pandemics not just the price of hom sap ‘success’ and civilization too? We’re not ’designed’ to live so close together but if we were to revert back to our original small groups, one unpleasant problem of quite a few we’d face is that we might eventually separate into competing humanoid species - and we’re bad enough as one. Straying covidly more than a little, I would concede that technology can help us considerably in fighting novel cross-species infections but one clear strategy is to go deep into our past and embrace the dietary preferences of Australopithecus or, even better, Purgatorius who must have been named by a carnivore: Here he is how he might have looked, although this lad is clearly posing: Being something like that up there in the foliage is a line of work I wouldn’t have minded at all - you basically have the story of my fantasy life right there. Let’s add a bit of cooking to his (or her) diet and then we‘ll really have the microbes on the run. Click to expand... If we had remained hunter-gatherers living in small groups, subsiding on what nature provides, we may have been "healthier and happier". No major wars, no diseases, no organised religion .... John Lennon's Imagine wells up in the background. Also very little art, science or transcendence ... lives limited by the brutal scope of the seasons, the climate and wild nature. Not much time for Beethoven to write his Fifth Symphony, or James Joyce to write Ulysses , or Einstein to discover the Principle of Relativity. Plus, modern study has found that hunter-gatherer people wage small and vicious wars that are as inhumane and cruel as anything waged by modern nations. Stick that up your poncho, John Lennon! I just wonder if we could not somehow get the best of both worlds. Well the good news there is that we are the most adaptable of the world's predators. We've fundamentally changed our way of being on a number of occasions in the past in reaction to a hostile environment and we're most likely capable of doing so again. Lumpy Talbot said: Well the good news there is that we are the most adaptable of the world's predators. We've fundamentally changed our way of being on a number of occasions in the past in reaction to a hostile environment and we're most likely capable of doing so again. Click to expand... Don't let's get above ourselves either ... viruses and bacteria are predators on us, and may have the last laugh. We are the most adaptable large, multicellular creature - Dinosaurs lasted longer than we have been around (an eye-blink in geological terms), and cockroaches evolved over 300 million years ago. Actually, we may be the ones who destroyed our own natural supports. If Hairy Fuxxonaro goes ahead with his plan to burn down the Amazon basis for one big cattle ranch, I am not sure where will will end up. But, hey, we can't complain. We have had a good run, so let's enjoy it while it lasts. Tom Holland in The Shadow of the Sword makes the point that the Plague deaths left the borders of the Roman and Persian empires defenceless against the Arabs whose nomadic lifestyle had left them largely untouched. Of course, other life-forms who share this planet might (were they capable) reckon the greatest plague was the rise of humanoids. Though that may be a bit too Douglas Adams. former wesleyan said: Tom Holland in The Shadow of the Sword makes the point that the Plague deaths left the borders of the Roman and Persian empires defenceless against the Arabs whose nomadic lifestyle had left them largely untouched. Click to expand... But the Arabs struck these Empires after they had exhausted themselves in huge wars to see who was the Greater. The Muslims were not immune to Plague either: Plague of Emmaus The epidemic is famous in Muslim sources because of the death of many prominent companions of Muhammad . Plague of Amwas - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org For all the talk of globalisation and multilateralism we sure leapt back into the concept of the national bunker pretty fast. The whole question about whether there should be flights banned from initial hotspots and then suddenly it was nation states closing doors. Looks like the death of the nation-state may well have been exaggerated.The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Stuart Pearce has quipped Trent Alexander-Arnold will be 'asking for a new contract' after Conor Bradley's performance against Real Madrid. Liverpool 's current first choice right back Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with signing for Los Blancos, with the Reds academy product in the final year of his contract. However, it was his young deputy Bradley that will have stunned his suitors on Wednesday. talkSPORT's commentator for the game, ex-England defender Pearce, said live from Anfield: “With Trent Alexander-Arnold sitting on the bench at the moment, he must be thinking to himself, I might just knock on the manager's door and say, please, have you got a contract for me? "Because you've got someone who's been absolutely outstanding tonight, he's been brilliant. "He's dealt with [Kylian] Mbappe, he's got forward, he's assisted goals, he's been everything.” As well as keeping former Reds target and World Cup winner Mbappe quiet, the 21-year-old's stats from the game speak volumes too. The former Bolton loanee won more possession (9), more duels (8), more fouls (3), made the most tackles (4) and most assists (1) of any other player on the pitch. No player in the Champions League has recorded higher figures across those categories in a match this season. His crunching challenge on Mbappe quickly went viral on social media. Fans were in love with his performance, with one writing on X: "Conor Bradley came out here tonight and told Trent to go to Madrid." Another wrote: "Mbappe has gone from living in Monaco, to living in Paris, to living in Madrid, and now Conor Bradley’s pocket." A third said: "Conor Bradley needs to calm it. Real Madrid will leave Anfield wanting to sign him." Bradley went down with five minutes to go with the medical team coming on to attend to him. Joe Gomez swiftly replaced him and the youngster received a warm reception from his manager Arne Slot. Speaking to TNT Sports, Rio Ferdinand asked Slot about how impressed he has been by the club's young players this season, and how important they are to the squad. To which he said: "They are. People always say, and I have to agree with them, that if you are coming through the academy, you know what it means for the fans, even more than the ones that come from different countries. "It's special for the fans, but also for the club, that if they play on this stage against the reigning champions and they all do so well. "We talk about Caoimhin [Kelleher], but also, you'll agree with me that Conor [Bradley] was really strong and Curtis [Jones] was really strong as well. "It's nice for everyone to see, but it's not the way I pick my players or I select my team, they are cheap options as well which is also helpful with all these contract situations we have!" Bradley has made 11 appearances for the club this season. His time has been mostly restricted to coming off the bench, collecting 424 minutes of game time in total. He has started both of Liverpool's Carabao Cup wins, the 3-2 win over Southampton last weekend and Wednesday's Champions League clash. In total, Bradley has already made 39 appearances for the Reds, scoring once and grabbing seven assists. He also lifted the Carabao Cup last term after his role from the quarter-finals onwards. Just two years ago Bradley was playing on loan for Bolton, now he's starring in the Champions League. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has won the Champions League and Premier League amongst other honours in his glittering Anfield career. He remained on the bench as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo fired Liverpool to a 2-0 victory, while Mbappe and Mohamed Salah both missed penalties. But should the Reds star leave for Madrid this summer, Bradley's showing on Wednesday suggests Slot has an excellent successor waiting in the wings.

Carlos Santana returns to Cleveland on 1-year deal, first baseman's third stint with GuardiansNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96

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Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy weekMorgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”

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The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . HOUSTON (AP) — Kavion McClain scored 14 points as Texas Southern beat Texas A&M-Kingsville 80-72 on Wednesday. McClain added six assists for the Tigers (2-5). Grayson Carter scored 13 points, shooting 6 of 7 from the field. Kenny Hunter and Alex Anderson both added 12. The Javelinas were led by Isaiah Payne, who recorded 18 points and four assists. Texas A&M-Kingsville also got 16 points from Allen Singleton. Nate Lacewell also had 13 points and seven rebounds. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Electric Metals Announces First Tranche Closing and Extension of Private Placement

Wilson, Steelers want to stay on schedule - Steelers.comChargers are expected to be without top RB Dobbins and could lean on QB Herbert against Falcons

Economy Minister: Eliminating watchdog agencies doesn’t violate USMCA free trade dealThe Senate approved the Investments and Securities (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2024 for its third reading on Wednesday. The passage followed the consideration and adoption of recommendations presented by the Senate Committee on Capital Market, chaired by Senator Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West). According to the committee’s report, the bill, once enacted, will designate the Securities and Exchange Commission as the apex regulatory authority for Nigeria’s Capital Market. The proposed legislation is designed to align with global best practices in investments and securities. Its objectives include safeguarding the integrity of the securities market, preventing market abuse, insider trading, and other fraudulent trade practices while ensuring fair and lawful operations. The committee’s report stated, “Despite its revolutionary impact at inception, the existing law now requires substantial updates to keep pace with the evolving financial markets and global regulatory frameworks, thereby making it more appealing to local and international investors. “The proposed legislation will foster significant growth in the capital market, drive diversification, and create a conducive environment for investors in Nigeria’s capital market. Related News FG pledges to tighten fintech regulations NASD urges compliance with SEC rules Capital market operators get new registration requirement “It aims to address modern financial malpractices, reinforce investor protection through robust regulations against market abuse, and insider trading, and enhance governance standards for publicly traded companies.” The bill also proposes a regulatory framework for digital currencies and fintech activities, including oversight of blockchain and cryptocurrency transactions, to integrate innovative technologies into the capital market. Further provisions include a clear delineation of roles among regulatory bodies to enhance transparency and reduce overlaps, thereby improving the SEC’s operational efficiency. Support for the introduction and regulation of diversified financial instruments such as derivatives, Exchange Traded Funds, and other advanced products to deepen the market and meet diverse investor needs. Measures to drive growth and diversification in the capital market, contributing to economic expansion and job creation. Following a clause-by-clause consideration, the Senate passed the bill for a third reading.

Wilson, Steelers want to stay on schedule - Steelers.com

AP News Summary at 12:12 p.m. ESTMorgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”

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