Surprising Facts You Wouldn’t Believe About Ancient Greece

When disease hit an ancient Greek city, it could move fast and kill indiscriminately. During the Peloponnesian War, a devastating plague struck crowded Athens, wiping out a huge portion of the population in a short time.

There was little understanding of how infections spread. Doctors were overwhelmed. Social order strained under fear and grief. War, crowding, and trade made outbreaks worse. For many people, survival had less to do with politics — and more to do with luck.