Antonine Plague

• The Antonine Plague, also known as the Plague of Galen, was a devastating epidemic that affected Rome and the Roman Empire between 165-180 CE.

Origin of the Plague

• It is also known as the Plague of Galen because Galen described it as an Epidemic of Smallpox or Measles. He said it had been brought into the Roman Empire by the Legions from the East.
• Ammianus Marcellinus stated that it started from the Siege of Seleucia on the Tigris in 165-6 CE and then caused great loss in the Rhine Legions.
• The Plague was named after the Antonine Emperor, Marcus Aurelius.

Estimated Losses

• In 174 CE, the Plague resurfaced, and Dio Cassius stated that 2,000 people died every day in Rome.
• Eutropius estimated the Roman Empire lost millions of persons, possibly up to five million altogether.

Plague of Cyprian

• Between 249-262 CE, another Plague, the Plague of Cyprian swept the Roman Empire, under the reign of Decius.
• It was named after St, Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, who described the Plague.
• At its worst point, 5,000 people a day were dying in Rome.
• A further breakout of Plague in 270 CE is considered to have been part of the same epidemic.

Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE)

• The Western Roman Empire never fully recovered from the effects of the Antonine Plague and the Plague of Cyprian.
• The Germanic Tribes were encouraged to take advantage and commence a wave of invasions, at the same time as Provincial Governors would start a civil war, declare themselves Emperor and march on Rome.
• The ‘Golden Age’ of Rome (29 BCE-180 CE) was over and historians refer to this period of anarchy as the ‘Crisis of the Third Century’.