History
The Plague That Broke Ancient Athens
An explainer on the devastating epidemic that struck Athens in 430 BC, contributing to the end of its Golden Age and its defeat in the Peloponnesian War.
What is it?
The Plague of Athens was a devastating epidemic that ravaged the city-state from 430 to 426 BC, during the second year of the Peloponnesian War. It is believed to have entered the city through its port, Piraeus, and spread rapidly through the overcrowded population. Athenian leader Pericles' strategy of gathering the rural population within the city walls to avoid the Spartan army created the perfect conditions for the disease to flourish. The plague is estimated to have killed 75,000 to 100,000 people, roughly a quarter of the city's population. The exact pathogen remains a mystery, with modern scholars suggesting typhoid fever, smallpox, or measles, among other possibilities.
Why is it trending?
The Plague of Athens remains a topic of significant historical interest because it was a crucial factor in the city's decline and eventual defeat by Sparta. The detailed, firsthand account by the historian Thucydides, who contracted the disease and survived, provides a rare and vivid look into how an ancient society coped with a pandemic. His clinical description of the symptoms and the societal breakdown that ensued offers timeless lessons and draws parallels to modern epidemics. The ongoing scientific debate to identify the exact cause of the plague continues to generate new research and discussion.
How does it affect people?
The plague had a catastrophic effect on Athenian society. The immense loss of life, which included the influential statesman Pericles, created a power vacuum and crippled Athens' military strength. Thucydides described a complete breakdown of social and religious norms, as people grew lawless and fatalistic, believing they were doomed. Fear and despair became widespread, funeral rites were abandoned, and the city's morale plummeted. This societal collapse, combined with the loss of a significant portion of its army and leadership, severely weakened Athens, contributing directly to its ultimate loss of the Peloponnesian War and the end of its Golden Age.