Antonine Plague

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/antonine-plague

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the estimated timeframe?AD 165 to 180, with a notable resurgence in AD 189
2. What is the estimated mortality rate?Approximately 10% of the Roman Empire's population, estimated at 5-10 million deaths
3. Where did the Antonine Plague first appear?Soldiers coming back from fighting in the Near East, especially around the siege of Seleucia in winter 165‑166 AD, likely brought the disease to Rome. From there it spread across the empire.
4. How did the Antonine Plague spread so quickly?The Roman road network and the movement of legions helped the sickness travel fast. It reached places like Gaul and the Rhine frontier, touching both civilians and soldiers.

Etiology: The cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.
Demographic Consequences: The effects of a particular event or trend on the characteristics of a population, such as its size and age structure.
Epidemiology: The branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors affecting health.