Ash clouds, famine, and epidemics: societal responses to volcanic-induced climate shocks in mid-sixth century Ostrogothic Italy and Eastern Roman Anatolia

Important discoveries have been made on a variety of climatological effects on late antiquity, especially during the past two decades. This paper contributes to the existing literature by conducting comparative research on the extent of volcanic-induced climate shocks on vulnerability and resilience in mid-sixth-century Ostrogothic and Eastern Roman society. A volcano-climate-society interaction framework was utilized to determine possible interconnectedness between large volcanic eruptions, climate anomalies, and societal effects, with special attention to regional variation and the degree of vulnerability and resilience. The results of this study highlight evidence that both regions experienced a period of persistent and severe cold, which in some parts around the Mediterranean region resulted in poor harvests. Furthermore, it shows that the impact of volcanic-induced climate anomalies on Mediterranean societies during this period was variable and context-dependent. However, when comparing the historical sources, it seems that both the Ostrogothic ruler and the eastern Roman emperor installed institutional processes to aid the local population, indicating regional variation in responses to the effects of the volcanic dust veil and its consequential biophysical effects.