'For it is improper to be addicted to the tedium of affliction': Christian Responses to Pandemic in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages
Geoffrey D. Dunn
The current COVID-19 pandemic has seen some turn to the past see if historical evidence provides any assistance forecasting probable duration and intensity of disease length time until a vaccine or cure is found. In this paper, on contrary, aim look present situation help understand past. pandemic, which seems impossible halt even as vaccines start roll out, threatens destroy way people interact with one another provide for their families undermined confidence in progress medical science human mastery over natural world. fear helplessness that come its wake much previous centuries felt face rampant uncontrollable disease. paper several episodes first bubonic plague, known plague Justinian, lasted from sixth eighth centuries, reported by Gregory I, bishop Rome, Gregory, Tours, both active at end century, will be explored. light our own experience vulnerability because impotence modern medicine so far offer protection, we are better able appreciate reaction who lived Lombard Italy Merovingian France intractable disaster.
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