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Justinian's Flea: The First Great Plague and the End of the
Roman Empireby William Rosen Synopses & Reviews A richly told
story of the collision between natures smallest organism and
historys mightiest empire The Emperor Justinian reunified Romes
fractured empire by defeating the Goths and Vandals who had
separated Italy, Spain, and North Africa from imperial rule. In
his capital at Constantinople he built the worlds most beautiful
building, married its most powerful empress, and wrote its most
enduring legal code, seemingly restoring Romes fortunes for the
next five hundred years. Then, in the summer of 542, he
encountered a flea. The ensuing outbreak of bubonic plague
killed five thousand people a day in Constantinople and nearly
killed Justinian himself. In Justinia