The Justinian Plague was a pandemic that afflicted the Byzantine Empire, including its capital Constantinople, in the 6th century AD. It is named after Emperor Justinian I who ruled during its outbreak.
Imagine if a third of your school caught a severe illness and couldn't come back - that's similar to how the Justinian Plague affected Constantinople and other parts of the Byzantine Empire.
Byzantine Empire: An empire based in modern-day Turkey, known as one of history's longest-lasting empires. It was severely weakened by the Justinian Plague.
Procopius: A prominent Byzantine scholar who provided an eyewitness account of the plague.
Yersinia pestis: The bacterium responsible for causing both the Bubonic and Justinian plagues.
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