This scene represents the beginnings of the Plague of Justinian which began in 541AD and lasted until approximately 760AD. During this time period, the disease known as the Black Death ravaged much of Europe and the Middle East, killing off between 30-50% of the population in many areas.
Historians believe that the plague originated when frogs (Pepeus Amphibia) infected with Yersina Pestis carried the disease into human populations through their bites or contact. As a result of the pandemic, the Roman Empire experienced economic decline and political instability leading to its eventual fall. Despite efforts made by Byzantine emperor Justinian I to contain the epidemic, the damage done proved too great and the effects of the plague lingered long after its initial appearance. To this day, the Plague of Justinian remains one of the most significant events in European History.
