Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
How does coronavirus compare to other pandemics?
Position6 of 6

The Plague of Justinian is the worst pandemic in history

This position holds that the Plague of Justinian was the worst pandemic in history. One of the earliest recorded, it argues the sixth-century outbreak killed 30–50 million people—the highest proportion of any pandemic—and helped bring about the fall of the Roman Empire.

Supporting arguments · 2

  1. The Plague of Justinian led to the fall of the Roman Empire
    While not its only cause, historians argue that the Plague of Justinian hastened the fall of the Roman Empire
  2. The Plague of Justinian killed the highest proportion of people
    The Plague of Justinian is thought to have killed around half of the population of the entire planet.