“ The sun began to be darkened by day and the moon by night, while the ocean was tumultuous with spray from the 24th of March in this year till the 24th of June in the following year… And, as the winter was a severe one, so much so that from the large and unwonted quantity of snow the birds perished… there was distress… among men… from the evil things” ZACHARIAS OF MYTILENE (Chronicle, 9.19, 10.1) The year of darkness In AD 536 the sun dimmed and global temperatures plunged, leading to famine, plague and the collapse of empires. At last clues are emerging about the cause of this event, as Colin Barras reports
34 | NewScientist | 18 January 2014 EBvb^ofp>A203)^ka?vw^kqfkb efpqlof^kMol`lmfrplc@^bp^ob^e^pgrpq T^oofsbafkplrqebokFq^iv+Qeb_^i^k`blc mltbofkqebJbafqboo^kb^kfpfkciru7S^ka^ip e^ap^`hbaOljbfk122^kaqebTbpqbok Olj^kBjmfobe^ac^iibkfk143+Grpqfkf^kF) qeb?vw^kqfkb%loB^pqbokOlj^k&Bjmbolo) fpabqbojfkbaqlob`i^fjqebilpqqboofqlofbp+ >cqbo^pr``bppcri`^jm^fdk^d^fkpqqebKloqe >cof`^kS^ka^iHfkdaljfkqebb^oiv20-p) Grpqfkf^kafpm^q`ebpefp^ojvqlobq^hbFq^iv+ Vbq^pMol`lmfrpob`loap)pljbqefkdlaa qebke^mmbkba+Qebprkafjjba)^kaqeb afjkbppi^pqbaclojlobqe^k^vb^o+Qebob tbobcolpqp^kapkltpfkqebjfaaiblc prjjboÌqebtfkqbokbsboob^iivbkaba+Colj Fq^ivqlFobi^ka)@efk^ql@bkqo^i>jbof`^)qeb vb^o203t^pqeb_bdfkkfkdlc^ab`^ab*ilkd `liapk^m_bpbq_vqrojlfi+Obifdflkpilpq _bifbsbop)`fqfbp`lii^mpba^kalkblcqeb dob^qbpqmi^drbpfkefpqlovhfiiba^nr^oqbo lcqebmlmri^qflkfkqeb?vw^kqfkbBjmfob+ Grpqfkf^kÑp^ojfbpafaj^k^dbqlobq^hbOljb) _rqefptb^hbkbabjmfobt^plsbopqobq`eba) ^kapllkilpqqebqboofqlov^d^fk+ Fk^ijlpqbsbovobdflklcqebtloia)qefp mboflat^pj^ohbatfqe_^atb^qebo)pl`f^i afploaboÌ^kaab^qe+Qefp`ifj^qf`altkqrok j^vtbiie^sbmolclrkaiv^iqbobaqeb`lropb lcefpqlov+Qebqofddbolcqefp`llifkde^pilkd _bbk^jvpqbov)_rqklttbj^vcfk^iiv_b `ilpbqlfabkqfcvfkdqeb`rimofqÌlo`rimofqp+ Qebcfopqbsfabk`blcqeb>A203bsbkq `^jbcolj^pqravfkqeb.65-p_vqtlK>P> dblildfpqp)Of`e^oaPqlqebop^kaJf`e^bi O^jmfkl+Qebvqo^tibaqeolrdeb^oiv efpqlof`^i^``lrkqpillhfkdcloobcbobk`bpql sli`^kf`bormqflkp^olrkaqebJbafqboo^kb^k+ Qebv`lk`irabaqe^qqebobe^a_bbk^qib^pq pbsbkj^globormqflkp_bclob>A30-) fk`irafkdqeblkbfk>A46qe^q_rofbaqeb qltklcMljmbff+ Vbqtefibqebobtbobclro^``lrkqpÌ fk`irafkdqe^qlcMol`lmfrpÌlc^k .5*jlkqe*ilkdmboflalcrkrpr^iivafjphfbp) _bdfkkfkd^olrka>A203)qebobtbobklafob`q obcbobk`bpql^sli`^kf`bormqflk^qqefpqfjb+ Pqlqebop^kaO^jmfkl`lk`irabaqe^qqeb `^rpbjrpqe^sb_bbk^j^ppfsbsli`^kf` bormqflkqelrp^kaplcjfibpcoljBrolmb+ Qefpt^p`boq^fkivmi^rpf_ib+Qebbormqflk lcqebFkalkbpf^ksli`^kllcQ^j_lo^fk.5.2) ^cqbo^ii)t^pcliiltba_v^Îvb^otfqelrq^ prjjboÏ^`olppqebkloqebokebjfpmebob NCE FLOUE NCE A %^kaj^ve^sbdfsbkrpCo^khbkpqbfk^ka _f`v`ibp&+Qebefpqlof`^i^``lrkqpprddbpqba UME/TEND A qe^q203t^pjr`ejlobpbsbobqe^k.5.3) _rq`lriaqebv_bqorpqba< IN WILLIN A
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18 January 2014 | NewScientist | 35
140118_F_AD536.indd 35 13/1/14 11:42:07 ” The sun “ There was a sign in the tfqe)Ïp^vpJf`e^bi?^fiifb^qNrbbkÑp Tebkebclrkal_p`robobcbobk`bpql Rkfsbopfqv?bic^pq)RH+?rqtfqeefpebim)^k rkrpr^im^oqf^ib`ifmpbpfkkloqe*tbpqBrolmb sun the like of which fjm^oqf^itfqkbppqlqeb3qe`bkqrovbsbkqp fk205^ka21-)?^fiifb_bd^kqltlkabo had never been seen and _olhbfqppfibk`bfkqebi^qb.65-p+?^fiifb tebqeboqebplro`blcqebqolr_ibt^pklq pqrafbpqobbofkdp^ka)rpfkdl^hmobpbosbafk sli`^kf`_rqbuqo^qboobpqof^i+Fk.661)peloqiv becamereported before… The dim…Fofpe_ldp)eb^kaefp`liib^drbpmrqqldbqebo _bclobco^djbkqplcqeb`ljbqPelbj^hbo* sun became dark and ^qobb*ofkdob`loapqobq`efkd_^`hjlobqe^k Ibsv6milrdebafkqlGrmfqbo)ebprddbpqba 4---vb^op+Fk.655)qebvobmloqbaqe^qarofkd qe^qarpqcolj^`ljbqqe^qe^am^ppbakb^o its darkness lasted for qebcfopqjfiibkkfrj>A)qebk^ooltbpqqobb B^oqeÌlobsbk`liifabatfqelromi^kbqÌ`lria eighteen months. Each ofkdpÌfkaf`^qfkdmllodoltfkd`lkafqflkp bumi^fk_lqeqebrkrpr^iivilkd`ifj^qf` for nearly^ka`liaqbjmbo^qrobpÌl``roobatfqefk^ the altkqrok^kaqebi^`hlc^sli`^kf`pfdk^qrob+ day it shone for about four cbtvb^oplc203+ Fk^.666_llh)?^fiifbtbkqcroqebo) hours, and still this light Jlobqobb*ofkda^q^cliiltbacoljlqebo prddbpqfkdqe^qpbsbo^ij^glo`ifj^qf``e^kdbp dolrmp)^ka^m^qqbokbjbodba+ÎQebk^oolt fkqebm^pq.-)---vb^optbobqofddboba_v was only a feeble shadow. qobbofkdptbobkÑqgrpqfkBrolmb^kl^h+ fjm^`qp+Ebpmb`ri^qba^_lrqifkhptfqe^ wholeEveryone declared that year… the QebvtbobfkP`^kafk^sf^kmfkbp)^kafkqobbp _ol^ao^kdblcefpqlof`^i^kabsbkjvqef`^i sun would never recover its coljKloqe^kaPlrqe>jbof`^)Ïp^vp?^fiifb+ bsbkqp)fk`irafkdqebab^qelcHfkd>oqero+ ÎQefpmobqqvjr`ee^aql_b^dil_^ibsbkq+Ï full light. The fruits did not ?rqqebobt^ppljbqefkdjfppfkd+>p The plague of Justinian ripen and the wine tasted sli`^kf`^pe^kaprimerom^oqf`ibpt^pelrq lcqeb^qjlpmebob)qebvib^sbqo^`bpfkqebf`b Te^qfp`boq^fkfpqe^qqebvb^opcliiltfkd solike sourthat grapes” theclojfkdkb^oqebmlibp+Arofkdqeb.65-p)f`b 203tbobbsbkqcri+Fk@efk^)clofkpq^k`b)qeb MICHAEL THE SYRIAN (Chronicle, 9.296) `lobpcoljDobbki^katbobobsb^ifkdbsfabk`b KloqebokTbfavk^pqv`lii^mpba^olrkaqefp lcj^kvmobsflrpivrkhkltkbormqflkp) qfjb+ÎQebobÑptofqqbkbsfabk`bqe^q^_lrq fk`irafkd^m^oqf`ri^oivj^ppfsblkbfk./24+ 42mbo`bkqlcmblmibafba_b`^rpblc`lia)`olm Qebobt^p)eltbsbo)klsli`^kf`pfdk^qrobfk c^firob)pq^os^qflk^kaaolrdeqp)Ïp^vpM^vplk fruits weref`bclojba^olrka203+ Pebbqp)^k^o`e^blildfpq^qqebRkfsbopfqvlc Qebqobbofkdptbob^iplobsb^ifkd @lilo^alfk?lriabo+ÎQebobt^pmlifqf`^i^ka pljbqefkdrkbumb`qba+Abpmfqbqebbjme^pfp obifdflrpqrojlfi+Ï qe^qqebefpqlof`^i^``lrkqpmi^`balk203)qeb Fk@bkqo^i>jbof`^)qebmlmri^qflklcqeb qobb*ofkdob`loaprddbpqbadoltfkd`lkafqflkp erdb`fqvpq^qblcQblqfer^`^k^iplab`ifkba+ tbob^tcrifkqebvb^opcliiltfkd21-^ptbii+ ÎQebbu^`qa^qfkdfprmcloab_^qb)_rq_v killed at anFkc^`q)qebqobbofkdppeltbaqe^qqeb`lia ^olrka22-)qebmblmibqebobtbobabif_bo^qbiv pk^m`lkqfkrbaclo^ab`^ab+Fqfpsbovrkrpr^i _rokfkdqebqbjmibplkqebqlmlcqebfopqbm* clo^kbormqflkqlqofddbo^ab`^ablc`llifkd) mvo^jfap)Ïp^vpPebbqp+ÎQebve^ailpqc^fqefk p^vp?^fiifb)_b`^rpbqeb^pe^kaprimero*of`e qebfooribopÑ^_fifqfbpql^`q^pfkqbojbaf^ofbp m^oqf`ibpqeoltkfkqlqeb^qjlpmebob_v^ _bqtbbkmblmib^kaqebfodlap+Ï unseasonablesli`^klpelriat^pelrq^d^fktfqefk^cbt >kagrpq^pGrpqfkf^kt^pob`lknrbofkd vb^op+Qebcfkafkdpdlq?^fiifbobqefkhfkdqeb qebB^pqbokOlj^kBjmfob)efppr_gb`qp plro`blcqebqolr_ib+ÎPqlqebop^kaO^jmfkl _bd^kaolmmfkdifhbcifbp+?v21/)Mol`lmfrp p^tqebbsbkq^pbsfabk`blc^sli`^kf` t^pi^jbkqfkdte^qfpklthkltk^p bormqflk)_rqmboe^mpqebobt^p^klqebo qebMi^drblcGrpqfkf^kÌ^kb^oivclojlc time.” bumi^k^qflk)Ïp^vp?^fiifb+ _r_lkf`mi^drbÌtef`eebp^fat^p`i^fjfkd
Climate catastrophe Tree rings and other records show the world suddenly cooled around AD 536, a period marked by famines, plagues and turmoil. But what caused it?
1
The Northern Wei dynasty of China collapses and three-quarters of the 0 The huge city state of population dies Teotihuacan declines The Plague of Justinian kills a quarter of the -1 population of the The Ilopango volcano Eastern Roman Empire erupted in the 5th or 6th century A comet fragment may -2 have hit the Gulf of Carpentaria sometime in
Deviation of extratropical northern extratropical of Deviation the frst millennium hemisphere temperature from norm (°C) from temperature hemisphere -3 CHRISTIANSEN 2011 SOURCE: 500 520 540 560 580 600 Date (AD)
36 | NewScientist | 18 January 2014 The Plague of Justinian was an early form of the
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18 January 2014 | NewScientist | 37 Things got so bad in the CK/GETTY R E
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e^a^pfdkfcf`^kq`ifj^qf`fjm^`q+ ifhbivqlilpbj^qbof^i^kaj^hbarpqfk20-)Ï Tfia/`ljbqfk/--1+Ebp^vpqebobfppljb BkqboA^ii^p>__lqq)^dblildfpq^q@lirj_f^ p^vp>__lqq+ bsfabk`bqe^q`lpjf`fjm^`qptfqeB^oqe`^k RkfsbopfqvfkM^ifp^abp)KbtVloh+Eboqb^j B^`evb^o)B^oqem^ppbpqeolrdeqtljbqblo e^sb^j^glo`llifkdbccb`q7^_ofbcbmfplablc e^p^ipl_bbkpqravfkdf`b`lobpcolj peltbopmolar`ba_varpqvco^djbkqplc `llifkd^_lrq./)5--vb^op^dle^p_bbkifkhba Dobbki^kaÌ^kaqebv)ifhb?^fiifb)e^sbclrka E^iibvÑp`ljbq+Qeolrdelrqqeb20-p^ka qlj^glofjm^`qp^qqebqfjb)clobu^jmib+?rq jbq^iif`pmeboribpa^qfkdql^olrka203+ fkqlqeb21-p)qebpbjbqblopeltbopj^v ebfpp`bmqf`^iqe^qE^iibvmi^vbapr`e^olibfk ?rqqebve^sb^iplclrkarkrpr^iivefde e^sb_bbkrkrpr^iiveb^sv)^ka`lkqfkrbaql qeb3qe`bkqrov)_b`^rpbqebc^jlrp`ljbqÑp `lk`bkqo^qflkplckf`hbi^kaqfk+Kf`hbifp qlm*rmB^oqeÑp^qjlpmebobtfqe`llifkdarpqÌ efpqlovlsboqebi^pqcbtqelrp^kavb^opfp ^_rka^kqfkbuqo^qboobpqof^iab_ofp^kafp ^kamboe^mpjlob+ ob^plk^_iv`ib^o+Î@ljbqp`^k_ofdeqbk^ka rkifhbivqlobcib`q`lkq^jfk^qflk)>__lqq bsbkbu`bmqflk^iivco^djbkq)_rqFalkÑqhklt p^vp)_b`^rpbfqfpklqqvmf`^iivmobpbkqfkqeb lc^kvbsfabk`bclopr`e_be^sflrolcE^iibv bnrfmjbkqrpbaql`liib`qqebf`b+Qebqfk) Impact site fkqebm^pq)Ïebp^vp+ jb^ktefib)fpprddbpqfsblc^`ljbq+ Qebob^oblqebopromofpfkd`irbpfkqebf`b+ BsbkfcE^iibvt^pklqfkslisba)>__lqq Pl>__lqqÑpcfkafkdpe^sbobproob`qba @lobpcolj^olrkaqeb_bdfkkfkdlc203 `lriapqfii_bofdeq^_lrqB^oqem^ppfkd qeb`ljbqevmlqebpfpÌ^kapebbsbke^p^ `lkq^fkqebcolwbkobj^fkplcjf`ollod^kfpjp qeolrdearpq^kaprccbofkdqtllojlobi^odb m^oqf`ri^oprpmb`qfkjfka+ÎTbhkltqe^q kloj^iivclrkafkpe^iiltqolmf`^ipb^p) fjm^`qp+Lqebodolrmp^obkltq^hfkd^klqebo E^iibvÑp`ljbq`^jb_vB^oqefk20-)Ïp^vp tefibp^jmibpcolj205^ipl`lkq^fkclppfiplc illh^qqebf`b`lobp+ÎTfqete^qA^ii^pfp >__lqq+Î>kaqeb@efkbpbob`loafkaf`^qbpfq jr`ejlob^k`fbkqj^ofkbjf`ollod^kfpjp+ mr_ifpefkdklt)FÑjdlfkdqldl_^`hqllrof`b t^prkrpr^iiv_ofdeq+Ï >__lqqqefkhpqebobfplkivlkbt^vqebpb p^jmibp^kapbbfctb`^kcfka^kvqefkdqe^q Qeb_ofdeqkbppprddbpqpqe^qlkqefpglrokbv jf`ollod^kfpjp`lriae^sbbkabarmfk obmif`^qbpeboobpriqp)Ïp^vp?^fiifb+ qeolrdeqebfkkbopli^opvpqbj)E^iibvÑp Dobbki^kaf`b+ Fkqebjb^kqfjb)lrokbfde_lroJ^opj^v `ljbqm^ppbam^oqf`ri^oiv`ilpbqlqebprk)peb E^iibvÑp`ljbqjfdeqe^sbpeba^cbt pllkibqrppbbcfopq*e^kate^qe^mmbkptebk p^vp+Fqtlriae^sbilpqjlobf`bqe^krpr^i) bpmb`f^iivi^odbco^djbkqparofkdfqpglrokbv `ljbq^ovab_ofpefqp^pj^iimi^kbq+QebOba obib^pfkdjloblcqebarpq^kaab_ofpcolwbk qeolrdeqebfkkbopli^opvpqbjfk20-+Fkqeb Mi^kbqfparbqlmilrdeqeolrdeqebarpq^ka fkpfab+ÎE^iibvjfdeqe^sb_bbkbpmb`f^iiv cliiltfkdvb^op)mboe^mpfk`irafkd203^ka d^pproolrkafkd@ljbq@,/-.0>.fkL`ql_bo+ 205)qebpbco^djbkqppi^jjbafkqlB^oqeÑp Fkqebm^pqcbtvb^op)qebk)tbe^sbdlkb l`b^kp+Tebkqebvafa)arpq^kaab_ofpÌ coljklbsfabk`blcbfqebo^sli`^kf`bormqflk `lkq^fkfkdifsfkdj^ofkbjf`ol_bpfkqeb lo^kvhfkalcfjm^`q^olrka203qle^sfkd “ And it came about during t^qbo^kaclppfipfkqebol`hpqe^qtbobpqor`hÌ mobifjfk^ovbsfabk`blc_lqe+Plte^q`^rpba this year that a most dread tbobqeoltkefdefkqlqeb^qjlpmebob^ka qebdil_^i`liapk^m<Ariitfiiqbiivlrfqt^p^ portent took place. For the dil_^iqbjmbo^qrobpmirjjbqba+ sli`^kl)tebob^p>__lqqfp`lksfk`bafqt^p^ >__lqÑpqb^jj^ve^sbbsbkclrkatebob `ljbq+?rqfq`lria_bqe^qqebv^ob_lqeofdeq+ sun gave forth its light lkblcqebpb`liifpflkpl``rooba+Do^sfqv Qebrkrpr^iivpbsbob`llifkd^kafqp without brightness, like ^klj^ifbp^kajbq^iif`pmeboribpfk^ mbopfpqbk`bj^v_b_bpqbumi^fkba_v^alr_ib pbafjbkqi^vboprddbpq^i^odbl_gb`qpqor`h te^jjv+Sfkqebop^vpqebi^`hlc^kvpqolkd the moon, during this >rpqo^if^ÑpDriclc@^ombkq^of^pljbqfjbfk sli`^kf`pfdk^qrobfkf`bcolj21-`boq^fkiv whole year, and it seemed qebcfopqjfiibkkfrj>A)pebp^vp+ j^hbppr`e^sli`^kl*^ka*`ljbqqeblov^ exceedingly like the sun >__lqqmobpbkqbaeboqb^jÑpcfkafkdp^qqtl mlppf_fifqv+Fqj^vpbbjrkifhbivqe^qB^oqe `lkcbobk`bpi^pqvb^o^katfii_bmr_ifpefkd bumbofbk`ba^j^ppfsbsli`^kf`bormqflk^ka in eclipse, for the beams it qebabq^fippllk+Eltbsbo)pebpqfiie^pmibkqv ^`ilpb_orpetfqe^`ljbqtfqefkqebp^jb shed were not clear nor such lctlohqlalql`lksfk`bp`bmqf`p+ ab`^abÌ_rqrkifhbivqefkdpale^mmbk+N Alk?oltkibb^qqebRkfsbopfqvlc as it is accustomed to shed” T^pefkdqlkfkPb^qqibtlohbalkK>P>Ñp Colin Barras is a freelance writer based in PROCOPIUS (Wars, 4.14.5) Pq^oarpqjfppflkql`liib`qarpqcoljqeb Ann Arbor, Michigan
38 | NewScientist | 18 January 2014
140118_F_AD536.indd 38 13/1/14 11:44:04