"realizing what a deadly disaster had come to them, the people quickly drove the italians from their city, but the disease
remained, and soon death was everywhere. fathers abandoned their sick sons. lawyers refused to come and make out wills
for the dying, friars and nuns were left to care for the sick, and monasteries and convents were soon deserted, as they were
stricken, too, bodies were left in empty houses, and there was no one to give them a christian burial."
- unknown, c. 14th century
this eyewitness account describes the introduction of the black death to the port city of sicily, how did the silk road
contribute to the spread of this disease in europe?
highlight
10: 33: 56
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the silk road connected asia to italy directly through the eurasian steppe.
due to this connection the disease spread
italian merchants and asia suppliers had historically been in touch through
traveling messengers and the disease spread through these messengers,
the silk road connected animals such as donkeys and horses who were
carriers for the black death. due to travel along the silk road, these
animals spread the disease,
italian merchants traded with asia at ports along the black sea. the plague
was carried and spread by the fleas on rats that boarded the ships and
were brought back to italy