Contagion and mortality rates from "summary" of The Fate of Rome by Kyle Harper
The spread of diseases in the ancient world was not just a matter of individual cases or isolated outbreaks. Contagion rates determined the speed and extent of an epidemic, shaping the trajectory of disease across different populations and regions. When pathogens were highly contagious, they could rapidly infect a large percentage of the population, leading to devastating consequences for society as a whole. Mortality rates, on the other hand, measured the impact of a disease on those who were infected. Diseases with high mortality rates were particularly lethal, causing a significant number of deaths among those who contracted the illness. In ancient Rome, diseases with high mortality rates could decimate communities, weaken armies, and undermine the stability of the empire. The interplay betwee...
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