Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire
When humans discovered agriculture and livestock, they ceased to be nomads and began to settle in towns until they created large cities. From the first human settlements in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Anatolian Peninsula, populations were exposed and susceptible to new infectious agents, leading to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Permanyer
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Boletín Médico del Hospital Infantil de México |
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| Online Access: | https://www.bmhim.com/frame_eng.php?id=394 |
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| author | Óscar F. Chacón-Camacho Rocío Arce-González Juan C. Zenteno María T. Granillo |
| author_facet | Óscar F. Chacón-Camacho Rocío Arce-González Juan C. Zenteno María T. Granillo |
| author_sort | Óscar F. Chacón-Camacho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | When humans discovered agriculture and livestock, they ceased to be nomads and began to settle in towns until they created large cities. From the first human settlements in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Anatolian Peninsula, populations were exposed and susceptible to new infectious agents, leading to epidemics and pandemics. Great civilizations emerged, such as Egypt, the land of Hatti, Israel, Greece, Carthage, and Rome, among others. Contact between different populations through wars or maritime trade is well documented and has been described as a source of epidemics throughout history. Epidemics described as plagues or pestilences, such as those of Egypt, the Hebrews, or the Hittites, are based on biblical texts or evidence such as tablets or hieroglyphic writings. We also reviewed classical books by authors such as Homer, Aeschylus, Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Thucydides, Diodorus Siculus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Titus Livius, Suetonius, and others; and described all epidemics/pandemics chronologically. This article describes the epidemics/pandemics for which there is written evidence from ancient Egypt to the fall of the Roman Empire. We should not be surprised when new epidemics/ pandemics appear as causes of political and economic collapse, as this has been common throughout history, decimating, blocking, or even destroying cultures and civilizations repeatedly.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:57:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e11503581a5a48fe8e2d0db2606f4266 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0539-6115 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T23:57:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Permanyer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Boletín Médico del Hospital Infantil de México |
| spelling | doaj.art-e11503581a5a48fe8e2d0db2606f42662023-12-13T02:24:16ZengPermanyerBoletín Médico del Hospital Infantil de México0539-61152023-01-0180510.24875/BMHIM.22000147Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman EmpireÓscar F. Chacón-Camacho0Rocío Arce-González1Juan C. Zenteno2María T. Granillo3Department of Genetics, Institute of Ophthalmology Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Genetics, Institute of Ophthalmology Conde de Valenciana, Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Genetics, Institute of Ophthalmology Conde de Valenciana; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Mexico City, MexicoDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Mexico City, MexicoWhen humans discovered agriculture and livestock, they ceased to be nomads and began to settle in towns until they created large cities. From the first human settlements in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Anatolian Peninsula, populations were exposed and susceptible to new infectious agents, leading to epidemics and pandemics. Great civilizations emerged, such as Egypt, the land of Hatti, Israel, Greece, Carthage, and Rome, among others. Contact between different populations through wars or maritime trade is well documented and has been described as a source of epidemics throughout history. Epidemics described as plagues or pestilences, such as those of Egypt, the Hebrews, or the Hittites, are based on biblical texts or evidence such as tablets or hieroglyphic writings. We also reviewed classical books by authors such as Homer, Aeschylus, Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Thucydides, Diodorus Siculus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Titus Livius, Suetonius, and others; and described all epidemics/pandemics chronologically. This article describes the epidemics/pandemics for which there is written evidence from ancient Egypt to the fall of the Roman Empire. We should not be surprised when new epidemics/ pandemics appear as causes of political and economic collapse, as this has been common throughout history, decimating, blocking, or even destroying cultures and civilizations repeatedly. https://www.bmhim.com/frame_eng.php?id=394Pandemic. Epidemic. Plague. Pestilence. History. Antonine plague. |
| spellingShingle | Óscar F. Chacón-Camacho Rocío Arce-González Juan C. Zenteno María T. Granillo Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire Boletín Médico del Hospital Infantil de México Pandemic. Epidemic. Plague. Pestilence. History. Antonine plague. |
| title | Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire |
| title_full | Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire |
| title_fullStr | Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire |
| title_short | Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire |
| title_sort | learning from history in the midst of the covid 19 epidemics pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the western roman empire |
| topic | Pandemic. Epidemic. Plague. Pestilence. History. Antonine plague. |
| url | https://www.bmhim.com/frame_eng.php?id=394 |
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