The Black Death: a global contagion

About this episode

This episode explores the origins and rapid spread of the Black Death, featuring insights from historian Thomas Asbridge.

The Black Death is remembered as one of the most devastating catastrophes in human history – a pandemic that swept across continents and killed millions. But where did it come from? How did it travel so quickly through towns and countryside? And did people at the time understand just how terrifying the illness would be? In this first episode of our three-part series on the deadly disease, Emily Briffett and historian Thomas Asbridge – author of new book The Black Death: A Global History, published by Allen Lane – trace the origins and spread of the Black Death. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST If you’d like to find out more about the Black Death and its impact on the medieval world, Emily Briffett has put together some essential reading, listening and viewing from the HistoryExtra archive to help deepen your understanding: https://bit.ly/4mVQu01 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Emily Briffett

Guest: Thomas Asbridge

Topics covered

• Black Death
• pandemic
• medieval history
• disease spread
• historical analysis

Keywords

• Black Death
• pandemic
• history
• Thomas Asbridge
• medieval
• disease
• contagion

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Allen Lane

Books & works: The Black Death: A Global History

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