From the History of the Black Death Spread in Georgia (14th–18th cc)

Abstract

Many pandemics are known in the world history . They spread from country to country, from the continent to the continent and terrified people of all social classes and adherents of all confessions. In the Middle Ages there was believed that the mortal diseases were God’s punishment. Among the pandemics, the most dangerous was so called second pandemic − Plague (“Black Death”). The “Black Death” is known since the Sumer-Babylonia period. It is also mentioned in the Bible. The “Black Death” was spread in the ancient Greece. It had taken the form of pandemic during the middle sixth century . The pandemic had taken the lives of many royal family members in Europe. In total the “Black Death” had taken the lives of the tens of millions. In Georgia the “Black Death” had spread from 1346. This is attested in one Russian source. In the present paper on a ground of various historical sources and academic literature are considered evidences showing spread of this disease in Georgia. There are described the measures undertaken during the centuries by Georgian authorities to stop the outbreak of the epidemy and also economic and social outcomes of it. The special attention is paid to the facts of stigmatiza - tion of those who were infected.