Shocking DNA Study Reveals The Plague Is Prehistoric

Yersinia Pestis - the most feared disease in human history - has long been thought to be the Plague of Justinian in 541 AD. But new studies of ancient DNA have revealed traces of Yersinia pestis dating back more than 5000 years. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Laura Spinney to explore the origins of prehistoric plague. How did this disease emerge in the Neolithic world? Where did it come from? And could it have triggered a Stone Age collapse which signalled the dawn of the Bronze Age in Europe? Discover how this deadly pathogen reshaped entire Stone Age societies, long before the advent of written history. Presented by Tristan Hughes. Producers are McKenna Fernandez & Joseph Knight , senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Editor is Matthew Wilson. The channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #HistoryHitPodcast #TheAncients #DNA