Plague of Cyprian
A mystery disease ravages Rome through a decade of crisis
Named after Bishop Cyprian of Carthage, who described it, this epidemic ravaged the Roman Empire for over a decade amid the Crisis of the Third Century. Its cause is unknown; smallpox and a viral haemorrhagic fever are among the suggestions.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 3rd century
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Middle East
- 224 Rise of the Sasanian Empire — 25 years earlier
- 260 Battle of Edessa: a Roman emperor taken captive — 11 years later
Americas
- c. 250 Rise of the Classic Maya cities — 1 year later
Oceania
- c. 232 Hatepe eruption of Taupō — 17 years earlier
Alive at the time
- Zenobia (aged 9)