Scientists confirmed Yersinia pestis, the bacterium behind later outbreaks like the Black Death, triggered the Justinian Plague.
They traced the pathogen for the first time to its epicenter in the eastern Mediterranean.
Ancient Pandemic Uncovered
Researchers discovered Yersinia pestis in a mass grave beneath Jerash’s ruins in Jordan.
This find provided the first biological evidence of the Justinian Plague, which began in 541 CE.
Historians estimate the pandemic killed between 15 and 100 million people across two centuries of recurrence.
DNA Confirms Deadly Spread
Scientists analyzed eight human teeth from Jerash’s ancient Roman hippodrome.
DNA revealed nearly identical strains of Y pestis between 550 and 660 AD, confirming a swift outbreak.
Researchers explained the zoonotic bacterium spread mainly through fleas on rodents and sometimes between people.
Lessons from Jerash
Jiang said Jerash, once a vibrant trade hub, turned into a mass cemetery during the crisis.
He added plague has persisted for thousands of years and continues evolving like COVID.
Scientists warned the disease still kills people today and will never vanish completely.
