Category: History

World War I is one of the deadliest wars known to humanity. Around 60 million soldiers were mobilized to fight in the war. By the time the war ended, it had already killed 16 million people (including soldiers and civilians). Moreover, the large scale mobilization of troops and the bad conditions during warfare, led to the spread of Spanish flu, killing another 50 – 100 million people. This blog post helps you understand what started the first world war so that we can hopefully avoid another such war. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Spanish flu and how it spread, you can read it here: Worst epidemics in history.

This blog post mentions the reasons for the first world war briefly and explains in detail, the single event that started the war.

Reasons for the first world war

So, what started the first world war?

Even though several incidents led to the first world war, the following events are the most important among them.

Increased military spending by every major power in Europe led to increased tension between the countries. Loosely formed alliances and the desire of every country to increase its influence (and territory) while keeping the other countries under check added fuel to the fire. 

While these circumstances pushed Europe to the brink of war, they did not start the war. The war itself was caused by a single bullet, the one that killed the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. 

Food for thought: Who is a heir presumptive?

“An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question” – Wikipedia

What started the first world war?

Austria-Hungary and Serbia

Let’s travel back in time and see how the events that (chronologically) happen in Serbia affect Austria-Hungary (and vice-versa) one after another.

The events that happened in Austria-Hungary are shown in Red color, whereas those that happened in Serbia are shown in Astronaut Blue color.

Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group. Serbia, due to its strategic position between Europe and Asia, is conquered by several influential empires throughout its history. The Romans and the Ottoman Turks, the most notable powers among those, each rule Serbia for centuries.

Austria-Hungary or the Austro-Hungarian Empire is a nation that exists between 1867 and 1918. 

Austria-Hungary is the second biggest European country. Even though it is a great power, it consists of several ethnic groups. 

Race for the Balkan peninsula

For centuries, Russia and the Ottoman Empire are hostile to each other, resulting in occasional wars. In 1856, Russia loses in the Crimean War (1853 – 1856), and along with the war, the ability to take control of the capital of the Ottoman Empire. 

So, it decides to extend its influence in the Balkan region, which consists mostly of Slavs, like in Russia. In 1877, with the help of Romania and Greece, Russia defeats the Ottoman Empire and tries to create a large Bulgaria, that could become an ally of Russia. 

Fearing that a large ally in the Balkan region would make Russia too powerful, in 1878, the Congress of Berlin, a meeting consisting of representatives of the six most powerful nations at that time, splits the Balkan region into more countries.

As a result, Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania gain independence as well. To keep the region under check, Britain takes over Cyprus, and Austria-Hungary takes over Bosnia and Herzegovina (but not fully included as Austria-Hungary’s province).

Serbia becomes an independent country in 1878 and is ruled by the Obrenovic dynasty, which is not interested in the progress of Serbia. Since Austria is the largest customer of Serbia’s agricultural products, Serbia becomes economically dependent on Austria, and the Serbian kings become loyal supporters of Austria.

However, this causes unrest among Serbian civilians, who admire Russia while fearing the consequences of an Austrian expansion. 

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Meanwhile, in Austria-Hungary, due to the death of the prince of Austria, the king’s nephew, Franz Ferdinand, becomes the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria. 

In the late 1890s, Archduke Franz Ferdinand falls in love with a lady of less royalty than him.

In 1899, Emperor Franz Joseph (Franz Ferdinand’s uncle) agrees to the marriage on one condition. His wife and children may not share his royalty, i.e., his wife cannot sit with him in royal meetings, public processions, theatres, and royal carriages. 

However, in military meetings and processions, she may share his position and sit beside him.

King Peter, the Liberator

In Serbia, the civil hate for the Obrenovic dynasty increases, when Alexander I, the last Obrenovic king, marries a widow, who is ten years older than him and notorious for her numerous sexual associations. 

In May 1903, the Royal Serbian army murders the king and his wife.

Russia then declares Peter, the supreme commander of the Serbian army in the Balkan wars, as the next king. King Peter wastes no time in relaxing suppressive laws and transforms the country into a democracy and a modern economy. 

People accept King Peter, who would later come to be known as King Peter, the Liberator.

Due to their empathetic king, Slavs across the world start envisioning Serbia as a haven for all Slavs, not just Serbs. Many even want to make it the center of future Yugoslavia. 

Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Meanwhile, in October 1908, Austria-Hungary expands to include Bosnia and Herzegovina, two Balkan provinces it has previously taken control of, as its provinces.

This move by Austria-Hungary is met with protests not only from Serbia but also from most major powers and Montenegro. 

Reclaiming the Serbian territory from the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire becomes a widely accepted notion in Serbia.  

As a result, Serbia enters the Balkan wars (1912 – 1913). 

Food for thought: Why were the Balkan wars fought?

First Balkan war 

Serbia and other Balkan nations (Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro) have obtained independence from the Ottoman Turks. However, regions, where people belonging to these Balkan nations were prevalent, were still part of the Ottoman Empire. In the first Balkan war, an alliance of these Balkan nations fights together to reclaim these territories and end the Ottoman Empire’s rule in Europe. 

Russia helps Serbia and Bulgaria come into an alliance so that it can have allies to exert its influence in the Balkan region. 

Second Balkan war

Due to competing claims over certain territories, the victors of the First Balkan war fight against themselves. 

Serbia was victorious and almost doubled its size after the Balkan wars. 

On the other hand, Bulgaria loses big and turns to the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) for help. This leaves Serbia as the only ally of Russia in the Balkan region. Hence, Russians are forced to protect Serbia. 

The rise of Serbian nationalism

In both the Balkan wars, Serbia emerges victorious, becoming twice as big.

As a result, Serbians become more ambitious. They form nationalist groups which want to end Austria-Hungary’s influence in the Balkan region.

Some of these prominent nationalist groups are like People’s Defence, the Black Hand, and Young Bosna. Their motive is to break off Bosnia and Herzegovina (Austria-Hungarian provinces) from Austria-Hungary so that they can be combined to form Yugoslavia.

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand 

Meanwhile, in 1914, at a time when the relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary are at a low, and many Slavs (in Bosnia and Herzegovina) are antipathic towards Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand goes to Sarajevo (the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina now) to oversee the imperial armed forces there. One of the reasons for his visit is that, since it is a military activity, his wife can accompany him as his equal.

When the carriage carrying the Archduke and his wife comes to an abrupt halt in Sarajevo by mistake, a member of the Black Hand (a Serbian nationalist group) shoots both of them at point-blank range and kills them.

This move annoys Austria-Hungary, and it considers a war against Serbia. But it waits for German support.

Germany provides its support and asks Austria-Hungary to act soon. However, Austria-Hungary takes three weeks to issue an ultimatum to Serbia, with demands that are too difficult to accept. 

Meanwhile, Russia ensures its support for Serbia. 

On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, and the first world war begins.

How did a war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia turn into a world war?

Before the first world war, a handful of defense alliances between major superpowers existed. Some of the notable ones were: 

1. Austria-Hungary and Germany

2. Serbia and Russia

3. Russia and France

4. France, Belgium, and Britain

5. Britain and Japan

These agreements stated that, if one country was attacked, its alliance partner should mobilize its forces to defend the country being attacked.  

Due to these alliances, a war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia turned into a full European war and later into a world war.

We are sure that this blog post helped you understand what started the first world war.

Please read our blog post on the first world war which explains how the first world war progressed: First world war

As you can see, the nationalist ambitions of a small group caused the loss of lives of at least 16 million people. So, in today’s world, where several countries possess nuclear missiles, maintaining international peace has become a higher priority than ever before.

It might appear that maintaining peace is relevant only to countries and not to individuals. However, every one of us has a responsibility to maintain peace.

This blog post will help you find out everything about the seven wonders of the ancient world. Find out why the ancient people built them and how they built them. Also find out what destroyed these amazing monuments.

Man has always been fascinated by nature, its beauty, and its magnificence. Either in an attempt to replicate such grandeur or to show off a king’s power or to even please the gods, humans built massive structures.

The responses of visitors looking at these structures were naturally, awe, and wonder. So, a few of them attempted to create a list of such wonders to tell the world what they had seen. Among them, the Greek historian Herodotus compiled the first list of the Seven wonders of the world. Today, historians all over the world consider Herodotus, who lived in the fifth century BC, as the father of History.

Why did the Greeks choose number 7?

The Greeks chose the number 7 because, just like in many other cultures, for the Greeks as well, the number Seven represented perfection. And also because, at that time, the Greeks knew of only five planets. Add to it the Sun and the moon, and the number of heavenly bodies known at that time becomes 7.

The seven wonders of the ancient world

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza (2650 BC)

Located in Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only ancient wonder that still exists today. Out of the 80 pyramids in Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest.

Why were the pyramids built?

Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids to serve as burial grounds for their rulers called Pharoahs. The Egyptians believed in the afterlife. So, they built their pyramids in the shape of prisms, pointing to the heavens. By doing so, they believed that their rulers can safely travel to the next world.

Why was the Great Pyramid considered a world wonder?

The Great Pyramid became a world wonder due to its massive proportions. More than 2 million stone blocks were used to build the great pyramid. The blocks at the base were bigger and heavier than those at the top. For almost 3800 years, nobody could construct any building taller than the Great Pyramid.

Built by the Egyptians in 2650 BC for their great Pharoah Khufu, the Great Pyramid of Giza was 146 meters tall. Now, it is only 138 meters tall due to the top part of the pyramid going missing and also due to erosion. At that time, it was the largest man-made structure. Indeed, it was the largest man-made structure until 1300 AD.

How long did it take?

The Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza using limestone and granite.

Researchers believe that it could have taken 20,000 Egyptians, assembling stone blocks at a rate of 1 stone block every 2 minutes using just stone and copper tools, 23 years to complete this ancient world wonder.

Challenges

The biggest challenges faced during the construction of the Great Pyramid were cutting rocks into stone blocks and moving them.

Ingenious solutions

To cut the rocks, Egyptians hammered wooden wedges into rocks and let the rocks soak in water. As the water moved into the rocks, the holes expanded, and the rocks cracked.

The Great Pyramid of Giza was built at a time when wheels were not known to Egyptians. So, they used wooden sleds to move the stones on ramps around the pyramid. They poured a specific amount of water on the sand along the way to reduce friction and make it easier to pull the sleds.

Stone on a sled

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (sometime between 605 BC and 562 BC)

Of all the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon is the only wonder that displayed nature’s beauty. It is also the only wonder whose location is not known accurately, even though historians believe that it was in present-day Iraq. So, some historians believe that it is a mythical garden that existed only in people’s imagination.

Why was it built?

King Nebuchadnezzar II built the gardens for his wife.

His wife grew up in a mountainous terrain full of green trees everywhere. But in Babylon, a desert city, she couldn’t see plants or trees anywhere. So, she became homesick after coming to Babylon. Therefore, King Nebuchadnezzar II, who wanted to cheer her up, built the stepped gardens, with trees and plants on several floors, to create a mountain-like appearance.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

The Hanging Gardens was captivating due to the variety of trees, plants, and flowers that grew there. Moreover, the scents from the flowers and the leaves were relaxing to the Babylonians.

But the Hanging Gardens was not chosen as a world wonder due to its beauty.

Babylon was an arid (desert) land that lacked the conditions needed for agriculture. Hence, it was heavily dependent on trade for agricultural goods to feed its population.

The difficult task of creating and maintaining the garden on the top of a palace in the middle of a desert, where even grass wouldn’t grow naturally, was the reason that Hanging Gardens of Babylon was chosen as a world wonder.

Challenges

1. Babylon had no supply of stones. So, the entire city was built using bricks made of clay, which can become clay again when they come in contact with water.

2. Watering the plants and trees grown on top of such a palace carries great risk – if water reaches the walls or the base of any floor of the palace, the palace can come crashing down. In Babylon, water was as valuable as gold. So, fetching the water required for the plants to the top of the palace could have been a significant challenge.

Ingenious solutions

1. According to Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian, each platform where the trees and plants were to be planted was covered entirely with blocks of stone. Upon it, a layer of reeds was placed, followed by a layer of Asphalt, a layer of tiles, and finally, a sheet of lead. Then, enough depth of soil was laid on it before planting the trees and plants.

2. Even though the water needed for the gardens must have come from the Euphrates river, it is not clear how the Greeks might have done that.

The most probable solution is a chain pump (like buckets tied to a rope) to fetch water from the river to the highest floor of the palace, from where the water might have flowed down to the trees and plants on lower levels.

How was it destroyed?

Nobody is sure how the hanging gardens were destroyed. But the most probable reason was that there was no one to take care of them.

3. Statue of Zeus (435 BC)

One of the marvels of the ancient world, the Statue of Zeus, was once located in Olympia in Greece, where Olympic games were held. The statue of Zeus was as tall as a four-story (What does the word `story` mean?) building (12.4m). It was built by Phidias.

However, in the 5th century AD, a fire (most probably) destroyed the statue. Even its remains don’t exist now. Therefore, details about what it was made of and how it used to look are only known from ancient Greek texts and coins.

Why was the Statue of Zeus built?

Around 480 BC, after the Greeks defeated the invading Persian army, they were able to loot a lot of money from the Persians (The movie 300 was based on this war). In addition to that, they also controlled important trade routes. Thus, Greece, particularly the city of Athens, became very rich. Hence, to show off their superiority over other Greek cities, Athenians paid Phidias to build a statue of Athena.

Looking at the magnificence of that statue, another city of Greece – Olympia, asked Phidias to build a more magnificent statue to honor the king of Greek gods, Zeus. Eventually, the Statue of Zeus ended up becoming even more magnificent than the Statue of Athena.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

Even though the Statue of Zeus was said to be covered with gold and other precious stones, what made this a world wonder was its magnificence, the awe it created and how real it looked – a four-story tall statue of Zeus made of Ivory plates fit on a wooden frame that gave the impression to the onlookers that they were looking at the god himself.

How long did it take?

Phidias took 12 years to complete the statue.

Challenges

The real problem was acquiring the amount of ivory it would take to cover a wooden framework that was about 40 feet tall.

Ingenious solutions

According to this documentary from the Discovery channel, Phidias wanted to reduce the amount of ivory required. So, he carved or peeled out the ivory as scales (just like peeling an orange or like sharpening a pencil) instead of cutting it. However, ivory scales are not soft and cannot bend easily and, therefore, cannot be shaped. Therefore, he might have soaked these ivory scales in vinegar, which softened them. Then he might have shaped it and dried it to make it maintain that shape.

How was it destroyed?

Several theories exist as to how and when it was destroyed. However, there isn’t much clear evidence. The most famous theory is that it was destroyed by a fire in the 5th century AD.

4. Temple of Artemis (430 BC)

The Temple of Artemis was a world wonder that was so important to the Greeks that they rebuilt it twice after it was destroyed. It was located in present-day Turkey.

Why was the Temple of Artemis built?

The Temple of Artemis was a temple made of marble, built to honor Artemis, the Greek goddess of Wilderness and fertility. Since Artemis was a goddess of nature who oversaw boundaries, the Temple of Artemis was built very near to the city but not in the city itself.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

The ancient Greeks chose the Temple of Artemis as a world wonder due to its enormous size and beauty. Its location next to the sea could have also added to the beauty of the temple.

The Temple of Artemis was 450 feet long, 225 feet wide and 60 feet high.

Antipater of Sidon, a Greek poet who created another list of the seven wonders of the ancient world in 140BC, claims that the other wonders of the world lost their brilliance when he first looked at the Temple of Artemis that rose to the clouds. In addition to that, he also says that nothing in this world other than the Sun-god himself ever seemed so grand.

How long did it take?

The second version of the temple, which became a world wonder, could have taken up to 120 years to build.

Challenges

Three significant challenges made the construction of the temple an almost impossible task.

1. The temple was located near the sea. Hence, the base was marshy. Since each of the 127 cylindrical columns was estimated to have weighed 24 tons, if such a huge temple were built on such a marshy base, it would fall to the ground soon.

2. Transporting the massive cylindrical columns and cubical ceiling stones required to build the temple from the quarry.

3. Placing the ceiling stones next to each other with precision.

Ingenious solutions

1. To make the marshy base stable, the base was dug up and filled with charcoal and animal skins.

2. The cylindrical columns were transported by rolling them. Semi-spherical wooden casings might have been fitted on the two opposite faces of the cuboid to roll them.

3. The ceiling stones were first placed on bags of sand. When the bags were cut, the sand moved out of the bags lowering the stone very slowly. This gave the sculptors time to adjust the ceiling stones so that they could be placed accurately.

How was it destroyed?

The temple was first built around 800 BC. But in the seventh century BC, it was destroyed either by flood or by war. So, the first reconstruction began in 550 BC to rebuild the temple four times larger than the original one. It would take 120 years for this reconstruction to finish.

The Greeks believed that, in 356 BC, on the night of Alexander’s birth, the goddess Artemis left to attend to his birth leaving her temple unguarded. On the same night, it was deliberately burnt down by Herostratus, an arsonist who wanted his name to be known throughout the world.

Reconstruction soon began once again. But it wasn’t finished until after the death of Alexander in 323 BC. Then, in 262 AD, it was destroyed again, this time, by invading Goths. What was left, was damaged by an earthquake and was finally destroyed completely in 401 AD.

5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus(350 BC)

By Jona Lendering – Livius.org Provided underCC0 1.0 Universal license. Retouched by the uploader., CC0, Link

The term Mausoleum originated from this Persian building. Built by and for the King Mousolus, the king of a province of the Persian kingdom, the Mausoleum would have stood in present-day turkey if it weren’t destroyed.

Why was the Mausoleum built?

Mausoleum was built to serve as a burial chamber (tomb) for Mausolus and his wife. Even though Mausolus started its construction, it wasn’t finished at least until two years after his death. His sister and wife Artemisia continued to oversee its construction but, she too died before it was finished.

Even after Artemesia died, the sculptors who built the Mausoleum decided to stay and finish it because they thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make their name known to the world as famed sculptors.

Sculptors from all over the world were summoned to build the Mausoleum. Since sculptors from different countries built the Mausoleum together, different parts of the Mausoleum depicted different building styles, including Greek (statues and 12-meter tall pillars), Egyptian (pyramid-like mid section), and Lycian building styles.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

The Mausoleum was a 43-meter (14 stories) tall colossal building made mostly of marble. Even though it was an enormous building, what earned it the position of a world wonder could have been the giant statues that adorned the Mausoleum on every side of it.

At the very top of the Mausoleum was the statue of a chariot driven by Mausolus and Artemesia pulled by four horses. The concept of a statue on top of a building was first used in the construction of Mausoleum.

How long did it take?

The Mausoleum was built in less than 3 years.

How was it destroyed?

Between the 12th century AD and 1404 AD, an earthquake destroyed the Mausoleum. Around 1494 AD, crusaders, who came to the city, took the stones and statues to build their castles.

Right now, only the remains of the base of the Mausoleum are found in Bodrum, Turkey.

6. Lighthouse of Alexandria (283 BC to 279 BC)

By Prof. Hermann Thiersch (1874–1939) – Hermann Thiersch, Public Domain, Link

Of all the seven wonders of the ancient world, the only wonder that had a practical use is the lighthouse of Alexandria. It was located in Alexandria (present-day Egypt), a city Alexander, the Great, founded in 331 BC.

Why was it built?

After the death of Alexander, one of his companions, Ptolemy I Soter, became the king of Egypt. Since Alexandria was a harbor city and a center of trade, it needed a way to guide the ships to the shore.

At the same time, Ptolemy I Soter wanted to make his name known throughout the world. So, he ordered the construction of a lighthouse, the likes of which the world had never seen.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

Built using limestone and marble, the lighthouse of Alexandria was 100m -140m tall and could cast light up to 50 miles into the sea. It was the second tallest building at the time.

The lighthouse of Alexandria was chosen as the world wonder due to its utility and size. It is the oldest lighthouse known to humanity. It became a model for lighthouses built later on.

How long did it take?

It took approximately 15 years to build the lighthouse.

Challenges

1. The light produced at the lighthouse came at a cost – fuel. However, wood wasn’t readily available in Egypt. Hence, it is not clear as to what fuel was used in the lighthouse.

2. The lighthouse should be hollow so that fuel can be transported to the top of the lighthouse, where it can be burnt to make fire. However, if the base were hollow, it would have been very difficult for the base to bear the entire weight of such a big lighthouse. This means that the lighthouse can fall easily.

Ingenious solutions

1. It is still not clear as to what fuel the Egyptians used to create fire in the lighthouse.

2. To make the base stable so that the weight of the lighthouse is distributed evenly and that the lighthouse doesn’t fall easily, the walls were built to be very thick.

How was it destroyed?

The lighthouse of Alexandria withstood the test of time and forces of nature for more than 1500 years. However, after surviving five earthquakes, the lighthouse finally collapsed in 1323 AD. In 1480 AD, the local Sultan used most of its remains to construct a local fort.

7. Colossus of Rhodes (280 BC)

Rhodes is an island that has been a part of Greece since ancient times. Chares, a Greek sculptor born on that island, built the Colossus of Rhodes as a tribute to their patron God Helios (the Greek sun god).

Why was it built?

The island of Rhodes was located on a strategic location along a major trade route between Asia and Egypt. Since it was trading with both Asia and Egypt, it became very rich.

Alexander the Great expanded the Greek empire by conquering many nations. After his death, his generals started ruling his provinces. Antigonus I, One such ruler who controlled Northern Greece and Macedonia, noticed the wealth of the island and sent his fleet with his son to conquer Rhodes.

Rhodes, however, with the help of Egypt, managed to thwart the attack.

The citizens of Rhodes decided to build the Colossus as a memorial to celebrate their victory over Macedonia. They sold the siege material left behind by the Macedonian troops to pay for the bronze statue.

Why was this considered a world wonder?

The Colossus of Rhodes was chosen as a world wonder due to its enormous size. It was 108 feet tall.

Chares built the Colossus using a framework made of wood and iron. He then covered with bronze plates.

How long did it take?

It took 12 years to build the Colossus.

Challenges

1. The hollow statue, even if it is flexible, would not be strong enough to withstand strong winds and will, therefore, fall easily.

2. The statue was built from the bottom. As the statue grew, sand was built around it for the workers to gain easy access to the top. So, Chares couldn’t get a glimpse of the statue until the statue was finished, and the sand was removed.

Ingenious solutions

1. To make the statue heavy, Chares and his workers dropped heavy stones into the statue.

2. Unfortunately, for this problem, there wasn’t any solution.

How was it destroyed?

Just 54 years after its construction, an earthquake destroyed the Colossus. However, it was never reconstructed because a prophecy predicted great misfortune to Rhodes if it was reconstructed.

Even after it was destroyed, its remains still attracted tourists for another 800 years. In 653 AD, the invading Arabs melted the remains and sold the bronze.

Facts you probably didn’t know

1. Contrary to popular belief, the Great Pyramid of Giza was not built by slaves. It was built by paid workers who considered their service to king holy because, in ancient Egypt, kings were worshipped as gods. Hence, service to the king was considered a service to god.

2. Contrary to popular belief, the hanging gardens did not hang from the ceiling or the floor overhead. They were just stepped gardens.

Timeline of the seven wonders of the ancient world

We hope that you liked this blog post about the seven wonders of the ancient world. If you liked this blog post, also check out our blog post on the seven wonders of the world. 

Even though wars and natural catastrophes had claimed millions of lives, both humans and animals, throughout the history of life on earth, some epidemics have completely wiped out human populations in some countries. This blog post looks at some of these worst epidemics in history.

Thanks to the improvement in medical field and hygiene, we can afford to live carefree without worrying about the occurrence of another such devastating epidemic in our neighborhood. But, it has not always been the case.

Endemic, Epidemic and Pandemic

An Endemic is a disease that exists in a specific region or population permanently. An Epidemic is an infectious disease that rapidly spreads across a huge community or population within a short period of time (within 2 weeks usually). A Pandemic is an epidemic that has spread throughout the world.

Several diseases appear harmless now due to the development of medical science. However, even the thought of these diseases horrified humans at a point in time. This article will discuss some of the worst epidemics in history based on the impact they had on the world’s population.

Worst epidemics in history

1. Plague of Justinian (541 AD – 542 AD)

Plague is a disease caused by Bacteria. It is found mainly in rodents (rats mainly) and the fleas which feed on these rodents. While some forms of Plague are transmitted to humans mainly through rodent or flea bites and are non-contagious, others are contagious spreading from humans to humans as well.

via GIPHY

Which countries were affected?

One of the worst epidemics in history, the Plague of Justinian was named after Justinian The Great, the emperor of the Byzantine (East Rome) empire. The Byzantine Empire was the most affected empire because of the outbreak. It includes several present-day countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa (Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, most Baltic states, and Egypt). The emperor himself contracted the disease but survived.

Where did it originate and how did it spread?

The Byzantine empire depended heavily on Egypt, for the supply of grains to feed its huge population. The disease might have been transmitted by the rats which were in the ships that carried these grains from Egypt. Modern investigations show that this Bacteria might have originated in China or India originally and might have been transmitted to Egypt because of trade, from where it spread to the Byzantine Empire.

How many people did it kill?

At its peak, the disease was killing 5,000 – 10,000 people a day. By 750 AD, when the disease vanished completely from Europe, it has already killed 50 to 100 million people. It erased 13% – 26% of the human population (at the time of its outbreak) from the face of the earth. During the time of Justinian, there wasn’t enough place to bury the dead, So, the corpses littered the streets, making the entire city smell like the dead.

Symptoms and death

According to historical records, people contracted with the disease showed symptoms like fever, headache, abdominal pain, etc. Some of these people then suffered from delusions, nightmares, and comas while others died almost immediately after showing these symptoms. These historical records, however, are not proven to be accurate.

How did the Plague of Justinian vanish?

Nobody knows exactly why, but the bacteria that caused the Plague of Justinian evolved itself into extinction. It probably evolved into a species that couldn’t survive and died out or into a species that wasn’t lethal.

What would happen if it occurred now?

The Plague of Justinian cannot reoccur today, because its traces have completely vanished.

2. Black Death (1347 AD – 1351 AD)

Also known as the Black Plague or the Great Plague, this epidemic reoccurred several times in history. This is widely considered the worst epidemic in history. The last occurrence of this plague was in the 19^th century. It is a type of Bubonic Plague that spreads from rodents to humans but not from humans to humans.

via GIPHY

Which countries were affected?

Many countries in Asia and Europe were severely affected. Europe lost somewhere between 30% – 60% of its population to the plague. In the 14^th century, the plague reduced the population of the world from 475 million to 350 – 375 million. It took 200 years for the world to recover its lost population.

Where did it originate and how did it spread?

The disease is believed to have originated in Asia (mostly China). Due to the climate change in Asia, the grasslands died out. So, the rodents fled to more fertile lands spreading the disease. The traders traveling through the Silk route brought the disease to Russia, from where it traveled by trade ships to Europe. Armies with infected soldiers attacking other countries spread the disease. Famines and lack of hygiene catapulted the disease into an epidemic.

How many people did it kill?

In the three times the Dark Plague hit (Outbreak -14^th century, Second plague pandemic -14^th to 17^th century, Third plague pandemic -19^th century), somewhere between 75 to 200 million people died.

Symptoms and death

The most common symptoms were the occurrence of tumors (as big as an apple) in armpits and groins. This was then followed by fever and vomiting of blood. 80% of these victims died within the next 2 to 7 days.

How did the Black death vanish?

The Black Death was exterminated not by humans or medical science, but by 2 rules of nature.

1. Nature of the plague – Black Death is a deadly epidemic that killed 80% of its victims. A pathogen (harmful microorganism) that kills its victims cannot survive for long, because it eventually runs out of victims thereby causing its own extinction.

2. Evolution – Since Black Death existed long enough, some of the humans started developing resistance to it, due to mutation (change in DNA). The disease had a higher success rate of killing people without the mutation than people with this mutation. This led to future generations of humans who had more resistance to the disease.

What would happen if it occurred now?

Unlike its cousin ‘Plague of Justinian’, the ‘Black Death’ still survives, killing someone or the other somewhere. However, it is not as deadly as before because we have antibiotics now and antibiotics are very effective against the plague. In addition to that, huge cities, where the epidemic is likely to emerge, have controlled rat populations, and improved hygiene.

3. AIDS (1959 AD – present)

The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the worst epidemics in history, that humanity has ever seen.

Which countries are affected?

Africa is the continent worst affected by AIDS. Almost two-thirds of all the people infected by HIV live in Africa. In two of those countries, more than one-fourth of the population is infected by HIV. The main reasons for AIDS being prevalent in these parts of the world are sex-based violence, lack of proper information about the disease, and lack of proper medical care.

Where did it originate and how did it spread?

The source of HIV is a species of Chimpanzee prevalent in West Africa. Several decades ago, when hunters hunted these Chimpanzees for food, they might have contracted the Chimpanzee version of HIV. This virus could have later undergone mutation to become HIV that affects humans. This later spread to other parts of Africa. The earliest occurrence of AIDS was in Congo in 1959.

How many people did it kill?

Approximately 39 million people have died because of HIV and an additional 36.9 million people are still living with HIV.

HIV might not have killed as many people as the Plague of Justinian or the Black Plague. But it has killed so many people in the modern era when there are no large-scale wars and when the medical field is so advanced. (In my opinion) Had it occurred several centuries ago when large scale wars, unprotected sex, and other epidemics were so prevalent, it could have killed several times as many people.

Symptoms and death

HIV weakens your immune system to a point where it cannot fight against common germs. This makes the victim more prone to other types of infections (specifically cancers and tumors) and diseases that can be deadlier than normal. But HIV can survive 10 years in the victim’s body without showing any symptoms. During this time, it kills the proteins in the body while making a copy of itself.

HIV can be transmitted through sex, blood, childbirth or through breastfeeding.

How has the medical field helped the victims?

While the medical field couldn’t find a cure for AIDS till now, it has definitely helped increase the life longevity of the victims. When identified at an early stage, the medications can help a 20-year AIDS victim live another 46 years. This is an impressive medical feat.

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The problem, however, is that most people don’t realize they have HIV until the last stage. In addition to that, even though these medications certainly help the people in the West, the majority of people in Africa don’t have the financial means to avail these medications.

Prevention

Using condoms, using disposable syringes and increasing the awareness about the disease can help prevent AIDS.

4. Spanish flu (1918 AD – 1920 AD)

Also known as the 1918 Influenza pandemic, the Spanish flu is one of the worst epidemics in history to have attacked mankind. The Spanish flu virus is notorious (when compared to other influenza viruses) for its ability to reproduce itself (up to 39,000 more) and its lethality (up to 100 times more).

Which countries were affected?

The Spanish flu was a pandemic. A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread throughout the world. So, different countries around the world were affected. Due to the first world war, occurrences of the 1918 Influenza pandemic in the fighting nations like the USA, Germany, UK were not reported (accurately) so as to not affect the morale of the soldiers. However, in Spain, a neutral nation, the incidents (including the king contracting the disease) were reported. Therefore, the 1918 Influenza pandemic also came to be known as the Spanish flu.

Where did it originate and how did it spread?

The Spanish flu might have originated in France or in USA. A cough or sneeze of an infected person can release hundreds of thousands of these viruses which spread the flu to those nearby. Wartime mobilization of troops meant that the disease can spread faster and travel farther.

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How many people did it kill?

About one-third of the world’s population was infected by the Spanish flu and 10% -20% (50 – 100 million people) died because of it. 99% of the people who died were less than 65 years old. Normally, Influenza kills the very young and the very old. However, the Spanish flu also killed very healthy adults (aged 20 – 40). This was both a unique and scary feature of this influenza.

Why did so many young adults die?

This was probably due to the Russian flu (caused by Group 2 Influenza virus) that killed around 1 million people during 1889 – 1890. Normally, people who contract the flu at one point in their life become resilient to the same or similar type of flu virus. So, kids born during this time had increased resilience to Group 2 virus. However, this could have caused these kids to become more susceptible to Spanish Flu which was caused due to a Group 1 Influenza virus.

Symptoms and death

Symptoms included fever, body pain, and diarrhea. Patients would then suffer from lack of oxygen as a bloody, frothy substance filled the lungs leading to death.

How did the Spanish flu vanish?

The Spanish flu could have evolved itself into a less lethal one, because it runs out of victims, if it kills all its victims. The doctors might have also gotten better at treating the disease.

What would happen if it occurred now?

In 1918, the Spanish flu was so effective not just because of the nature of the virus, but also because of the time when it occurred. It occurred at the time of the first world war. Mobilizing troops meant groups of people crowded in closed areas, which helped influenza spread faster.

In addition to that, healthcare services were limited and the medical technology was not as advanced as today. Isolation of victims and supportive care were the only options available at that time. Hence one of the worst epidemics in history killed so many people.

Today, the world is better prepared for such epidemics because of advancements in the fields of disease surveillance, medical technology, vaccines, and pandemic planning. Besides, WHO has a dedicated organization that monitors changes in flu viruses and also looks for new flu viruses.

Should a new influenza pandemic attack us, we would have a vaccine against it in 20 weeks. However, due to the current human population, we would fall short on the number of vaccines we can mass-produce and their cost would mean that several poor countries would not be able to afford them.

We hope that this blog post on the worst epidemics in history helped you understand about epidemics and the damage they caused to the human society.