The Short- and Long-Term Effects of an Early Medieval Pandemic

This article examines short- and long-term governmental policy responses to the effects of the Justinianic Plague (c. 541–750 CE). While many studies have linked the Justinianic Plague to significant changes across all sectors of life, they overlook how states responded to the pandemic’s impact at different temporal scales—from immediate reactions to medium term politics. First, we discuss the immediate state responses to the initial outbreak in Constantinople in 542 at a micro-scale, which included measures to bury large numbers of dead. Second, we investigate the effects over a five-year time frame following the first outbreak to understand how the state responded to potential impacts through fiscal and economic policies. And, third, we reflect upon the post-five year changes scholars often connect to the plague outbreak to reveal the deep difficulties in making in such linkages.