Наслеђе Атинске куге 430–426. г. п.н.е. (II): друштвено-економске, политичке и културне последице
Legacy of the Athenian Plague 430–426 BC (II): Social, Economic, Political and Cultural Consequences

Summary/Abstract: While in the previous paper the great Athenian plague was viewed through the lens of the primary sources and as an epidemiological phenomenon, here an examination of its consequences is attempted. When it comes to the immediate and short-term effects of the disease, two are most obvious: the widespread panic and the crisis of organized society. Thucydides singles out lack of care for the deceased and the dead, insufficient respect for the traditional burial customs and the excessive hedonism of some individuals, as the worst excesses on display. Comparison with other societies in similar circumstances (the Byzantine plague of 541 AD, the Great Italian plague of 1629–31, the London plague of 1665/6 etc.) shows that the Athenians actually held remarkably well. There was apparently no massive spike in heavy crimes or the breakdown of transport, supply and public order. The fabric of the social order was strained but it did not crack. The plague also affected the immediate political decisions and the overall military situation, though here is not easy to be precise. Dissatisfaction of the people led to Pericles’ brief removal from power, as well as to an abortive attempt at peace negotiations. The Athenian power and activity on both land and sea were greatly reduced in the short term, though their enemies, themselves afraid of the possibility of the spread of the disease, failed to make use of the opportunity. Death of numerous cavalrymen, hoplites, light troops and rowers led to a significant reduction of the Athenian military strength as well, but not to such degree that a simple causal relation between the plague and the later Athenian defeat in the war can be assumed. In fact, after the peace negotiations failed and the first wave of sickness subsided, the Athenians enjoyed a sequence of naval and land victories, which forced their enemies to sue for peace. The long-term effects are more important but even more difficult to determine. We have some reliable information on the numbers of soldiers who lost their lives because of the plague and, assuming that these are indicative of the entire population, anywhere from one fifth to one quarter of all Athenians may have perished. That the 4th century Attica had a significantly smaller population than in the 5th century is obvious, but it is hard to tell what portion of this demographic disaster is due to the plague and what to casualties of war, the two events being concurrent and interconnected. For the same reason the exact effects of the plague on the Athenian economy, patterns of land ownership, agriculture and slavery are lost to us. Some exacting hypotheses were indeed brought forward regarding these aspects, but each one with very little evidence to support it. It is natural to suppose that a traumatic collective experience such as the major epidemic must have left a permanent mark of culture, collective consciousness and religion. This is, once again, much easier to claim than to prove. Almost none of the Athenian artists choose the epidemic as their subject. It does not appear as a theme in vase paintings or in funerary reliefs.

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