Plague of Athens 430

About Plague of Athens 430

The Plague of Athens struck the city state of Athens in 430 to 426 BC during the Peloponnesian War. The disease entered Athens through Piraeus, the port city. Thucydides, who survived the plague, provided a detailed account in his History of the Peloponnesian War. He described symptoms including fever, inflammation of the eyes, bleeding gums, skin ulcers, and diarrhea. The crowded conditions within Athens walls, where the population had sought refuge from Spartan attacks, amplified transmission. The plague killed approximately 75,000 to 100,000 people, including the statesman Pericles in 429 BC. The identity of the pathogen remains debated, with candidates including typhus, typhoid fever, Ebola, and smallpox. A 2006 dental DNA study suggested typhoid fever, though its findings have been disputed. The plague weakened Athens significantly, contributing to its eventual defeat by Sparta. Thucydides noted that those who recovered did not fall ill again, an early observation of immunity.