The ‘Little Ice Age’ may have played a role in the collapse of the Roman Empire about 572 years ago, according to scientific findings. It has long been believed that the empire may have been weakened by the shift in Earth’s climate, leaving it vulnerable to invasion by foreign foes, political unrest, and economic downturns.
According to a recent study that was published in the journal Geology, the empire’s demise in 1453 CE was ultimately caused by a brief but extreme freezing phenomenon known as the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA). University of Southampton researchers discovered that volcanic ash from three large eruptions may have caused the ice age by blocking out sunlight and lowering global temperatures.
“When it comes to the fall of the Roman Empire, this climate shift may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Tom Gernon, Professor of Earth Science at the University of Southampton and co-author of the study.
The event led to temperatures plummeting across Europe which led to widespread crop failures, increased livestock mortality, and a sharp rise in food prices. Ultimately, it led to illness and famine across the Roman Empire.
Dr Christopher Spencer, one of the lead authors of the research, said his team also analysed the age and composition of the rocks found on a raised beach terrace on Iceland’s west coast to gather geologic evidence for their hypothesis.
“We knew these rocks seemed somewhat out of place because the rock types are unlike anything found in Iceland today, but we didn’t know where they came from.”
Notably, in 286 AD, Ancient Rome was split into two parts: the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire. While the former had already fallen by the time the climactic shift began, the latter faced a significant impact due to a global drop in temperatures.
The researchers was able to identify their origins by analyzing zircons, which are microscopic mineral crystals that are trapped inside rocks. The results showed that during the LALIA, drifting icebergs carried the rocks to this site.
This adds to the increasing amount of evidence that the LALIA had a part in the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire and implies that it may have caused serious stress to the empire.