Plague and Natural Disaster, Porphyra XXVIII

During the long history of Byzantine Empire, the state and its people were vexed by many plagues and natural disasters. The plague that began during the era of Justinian is certainly the most well-known and was perhaps the most devastating pandemic that befell the Empire before the fourteenth-century Black Death. Primary texts vividly describe the diseases that struck the people of Constantinople and other Byzantine lands. 

Other natural disasters are also very famous, whether they happened in the Aegean islands, some part of Anatolia, or in Constantinople. One of the most important was probably the disaster that happened during the reign of Leo III, which some coeval sources interpreted as a divine sign. With territory straddling multiple fault lines, many earthquakes in Byzantium damaged and destroyed notable cities like Antioch.

With plague and natural disaster as part of its imperial rhythm, Byzantium was able to endure repeated waves of crisis and restore and adapt socially, economically, and architecturally.

With this aim, Porphyra is launching a CFP for everyone interested in this particular topic. Topics may include but are not limited to literature, history, religion, and history of art.

In the light of these considerations and in the perspective of dedicating the next issue of Porphyra (XXVIII) to “Plague and natural disasters”, we invite interested professors, doctoral students, research doctors, young researchers and scholars to send their contributions.

Papers may be submitted in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Modern Greek. Contributions must be complete upon submission – a proposal is no longer sufficient for a contribution.