Plague, Pestilence and Pandemic: Voices from History

Disease has been a constant companion of humankind throughout the ages. As civilisations rose, populations flourished, and trade routes expanded, people brought their ideas, their goods, and their pathogens to new lands and cities that had never previously encountered them. The lack of natural immunity to the transported bacteria, viruses, and parasites gave rise to epidemics that swept through entire populations and spelled disaster for all levels of societies. This fascinating anthology compiles the tragedies witnessed by those who lived through such plagues and pandemics, from the 5th-century BC Athenian Plague to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. Before delving into the writte