Pandemics have been thin on the ground for many years, in fact a lot of people think the Covid pandemic was the first since the Spanish flu.  This isn’t actually the case as there have been some in between.  The thing is they have been relatively mild like the swine flu and Hong Kong flu pandemics. I think it was quite a shock for many people that they needed to take as many precautions as the Covid pandemic has required.  If like me, you’ve always found historical pandemics very interesting, it probably came as less of a surprise as you’ve been half expecting something like this for years.

Whilst the scale of the Covid pandemic might have been unprecedented, there have actually been a great number of epidemics and pandemics in the past that have shaped the course of history.  Pandemics have influenced things like politics, trade, migration and wars. Here is a timeline of the most significant.

The Great Plague of Athens – 430-427 BC

The Great Plague of Athens was one of the first recorded epidemics in human history and occurred during the second year of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. The plague killed somewhere between 75,000 to 100,000 people, which was around a quarter of the entire population of Athens.

The huge impact of the plague on Athens ultimately led to their defeat in the war. There was also a significant reshuffling of power in Athens, which saw many of the lower classes inherit fortunes from wealthy relatives that passed.

Plague of Justinian – 541-750 AD

The Plague of Justinian was the first major pandemic that affected the Mediterranean, Europe and the Middle East. The Sasanian Empire (Iran) and the Byzantine Empire (Turkey) were hit the most severely, with Constantinople, the Byzantine capital, losing a fifth of its population.

When the plague had ended, 30 to 50 million people had lost their lives, which records suggest was around half the world’s population at the time. This also signalled the beginning of the Dark Ages, a time of economic, intellectual and cultural decline at the beginning of the Middle Ages.

The Black Death – 1347-1351

Arguably the most notorious pandemic in history, The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, spread throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa killing somewhere between 75 and 200 million people, making it the most fatal pandemic in history, too.

One of the most interesting effects of The Black Death was a period known as The Little Ice Age, something caused by the sheer amount of land that was freed up during the time which led to a period of regional cooling.

Spanish Flu – 1918-1919

The Spanish Flu was an influenza pandemic that killed over 50 million people globally. The end of World War 1 was one of the biggest contributing factors to the spread of the disease, as many of the soldiers that had been deployed to the front lines and returned home were carriers.

The virus was actually censored by many countries who were fighting the war in order to uphold morale. However, news of the virus ended up spreading in neutral Spain, which is how the name came to be.

COVID-19 2019-present

The first case of COVID-19 was identified in Wuhan City, China, and has since spread throughout the world, killing over 4 million people. Studies suggest that the virus itself originated in wild bats and then spread to humans. 

One of the most significant differences between the COVID-19 outbreak and earlier pandemics is its truly global reach, something facilitated by the prevalence of air travel. Another major difference has been the knowledge we’ve had at our disposal to help us fight the virus, which has led to global vaccination programmes.

The Great Plague of Athens – 430-427 BCE

• This was one of the world’s first epidemics that ravaged the Greek city state of Athens.
• Athens was in it’s 2nd year of it’s war with it’s Greek rival, Sparta. (430 BCE)
• 75,000 to 100,000 people (¼ of Athens’ population) were killed.

Plague of Justinian – 541-750 AD

• This was the first major plague pandemic which affected the Mediterranean, Europe and the Middle East.
• The capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople (now Istanbul) was also severely affected.
• Killed between 30 to 50 million people – half the world’s population at the time.

The Black Death – 1347-1351

• One of the most well known pandemics in history.
• European population levels took over 200 years to be restored to their former level.
• 75-200 million people died across Europe, Asia and North Africa, making it the most fatal pandemic in history.

Spanish Flu – 1918-1919

• This was an influenza pandemic that killed over 50 million people globally.
• World War One was coming to an end, with many soldiers deploying to the frontlines and then returning home, spreading the disease.
• The virus was censored to uphold morale but the news spread in neutral Spain, hence the name.

COVID-19 – 2019-present

• Rapidly spread due to global air travel and globalisation.
• Resulted in widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions.
• Rapid development of vaccines, providing protection from serious illness.