Catastrophe: An Investigation into the Origins of Modern Civilization
by David Keys
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It was a catastrophe without precedent in recorded history: for months on end, starting in A.D. 535, a strange, dusky haze robbed much of the earth of normal sunlight. Crops failed in Asia and the Middle East as global weather patterns radically altered. Bubonic plague, exploding out of Africa, wiped out entire populations in Europe. Flood and drought brought ancient cultures to the brink of collapse. In a matter of decades, the old order died and a new world—essentially the modern world show more as we know it today—began to emerge. In this fascinating, groundbreaking, totally accessible book, archaeological journalist David Keys dramatically reconstructs the global chain of revolutions that began in the catastrophe of A.D. 535, then offers a definitive explanation of how and why this cataclysm occurred on that momentous day centuries ago. The Roman Empire, the greatest power in Europe and the Middle East for centuries, lost half its territory in the century following the catastrophe. During the exact same period, the ancient southern Chinese state, weakened by economic turmoil, succumbed to invaders from the north, and a single unified China was born. Meanwhile, as restless tribes swept down from the central Asian steppes, a new religion known as Islam spread through the Middle East. As Keys demonstrates with compelling originality and authoritative research, these were not isolated upheavals but linked events arising from the same cause and rippling around the world like an enormous tidal wave. Keys's narrative circles the globe as he identifies the eerie fallout from the months of darkness: unprecedented drought in Central America, a strange yellow dust drifting like snow over eastern Asia, prolonged famine, and the hideous pandemic of the bubonic plague. With a superb command of ancient literatures and historical records, Keys makes hitherto unrecognized connections between the "wasteland" that overspread the British countryside and the fall of the great pyramid-building Teotihuacan civilization in Mexico, between a little-known "Jewish empire" in Eastern Europe and the rise of the Japanese nation-state, between storms in France and pestilence in Ireland. In the book's final chapters, Keys delves into the mystery at the heart of this global catastrophe: Why did it happen? The answer, at once surprising and definitive, holds chilling implications for our own precarious geopolitical future. Wide-ranging in its scholarship, written with flair and passion, filled with original insights, Catastrophe is a superb synthesis of history, science, and cultural interpretation. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Superb examination of an ecological catastrophe that happened in 525 or so, and how it affected civilizations world wide. Keys starts with the place that hit Europe shortly after, and follows the effect of the plague across west Asia and Europe and details its consequences, including the spread of Islam and the final fall of Rome. In the Americas and East Asia, it wasn't the plague, but as climate change. Keys marshals his facts well, drawing on a wide variety of sources, and it's a good picture of worldwide changes. Finally, he examines possible causes for the catastrophe, including asteroid and comet impacts, but settles on a huge volcano off the coast of Java. It's a detailed, but also gripping read.
Started out a 4.5, learned a lot of Eursasian history I didn't know. But it became checklist writing, almost like a text book. And way too many exclamation piont. But still an engrossing topic that causes one to think.
In February of 535 CE, there was a huge volcanic eruption, that sent a wave of ecological disaster rolling around the planet. Mr. Keys book weaves literary and physical evidence together. He believes that an Indonesian Volcano was the likeliest culprit. Krakatoa seems to be our mountain. While Mediterranean sources seem to downplay the climate part of the troubles, one can certainly find a great deal on the resultant plague! (check out "Justinian's Flea for a lively account!)
I think this book definitely worth the read.
I think this book definitely worth the read.
A history book of unparalleled scope describing the changes occurring b/w 5-7 century ad from Mongolia to Europe to middle east to Americas and finally the far east and attributing them to climactic causes.
Even if you don’t buy the central argument of the book, that climate change was one of major causes of the genesis of what we call modern world, just as a history book this is fascinating stuff.
Even if you don’t buy the central argument of the book, that climate change was one of major causes of the genesis of what we call modern world, just as a history book this is fascinating stuff.
I enjoyed it...Mr. Keys sure paints a strong augment for catastrophic event affecting pivotal historical events...enlightening and frighting...
Too many 'probably's in the text.
This was a fantastic book, and changed the way I look at history.
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Author Information
7 Works 403 Members
David Keys--archaeology correspondent of the London daily paper The Independent and leading TV archaeological consultant--has visited more than one thousand archaeological sites in sixty countries
Common Knowledge
- Alternate titles
- Catastrophe
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- Popularity
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- Reviews
- 7
- Rating
- (3.70)
- Languages
- Chinese, English, Estonian, German
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- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
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