Was the rise of the Roman Empire helped by VOLCANOES? Experts say massive eruptions could have triggered revolts in rival empires

  • Yale researchers combined historical accounts with climate data
  • Evidence of eruptions came from sulphate in Greenland and Antarctica
  • The eruptions helped destroy the Ptolemaic Kingdom on the Nile 
  • Eight out of 9 revolts against rulers began within 2 years of eruption dates

By Ellie Zolfagharifard For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

Major volcanic eruptions may have paved the way for the Roman Empire's success in Egypt and the Middle East.

These eruptions helped destroy the Ptolemaic Kingdom on the Nile, which ruled in the Hellenistic period, scientists say.

The domestic unrest and ensuing uprising led to the Kingdom's destruction in Egypt and North Africa 30 BC.

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Major volcanic eruptions may have paved the way for the Roman Empire's success in Egypt and the Middle East. These eruptions helped destroy the Ptolemaic Kingdom on the Nile, which ruled in the Hellenistic period

Major volcanic eruptions may have paved the way for the Roman Empire's success in Egypt and the Middle East. These eruptions helped destroy the Ptolemaic Kingdom on the Nile, which ruled in the Hellenistic period

Researchers at Yale University were able to discover a link between volcanic eruptions and region by combining historical accounts with climate data.

'So far, Hellenistic history has never had any climate component,' Joseph Manning, a historian at Yale University told the meeting of the European Geosciences Union in Vienna, Austria, last week.

'There were revolts and social unrest from 245 BC onwards, down to the mid-first century BC.'

'One involved the entire river valley along the Nile for 20 years.'

The kingdom was created following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, were land was divided amongst his generals.

Ptolemy, son of Lagos took control of Egypt and governed the country until 305 BC. The Dynasty then ruled in Egypt for nearly 300 years, until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. Pictured is an artist's impression of Antony and Cleopatra

Ptolemy, son of Lagos took control of Egypt and governed the country until 305 BC. The Dynasty then ruled in Egypt for nearly 300 years, until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. Pictured is an artist's impression of Antony and Cleopatra

Ptolemy, son of Lagos took control of Egypt and governed the country until 305 BC.

The Dynasty then ruled in Egypt for nearly 300 years, until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC.

During its downfall, the Kingdom suffered political unrest, driven by starvation and famine.

Although the Ptolemies introduced free-threshing wheat, a labor saving grain that should have significantly improved the quality of life, history has not been kind to them.

'History had judged the Ptolemies to be bad rulers,' says Manning.

VOLCANIC ERUPTION MAY HAVE LED TO THE DOWNFALL OF THE ROMANS

Major volcanic eruptions may have paved the way for the rapid spread of Islam across the Middle East, Africa and into Europe.

Scientists have found large volcanic eruptions between 536AD and 626 AD resulted in widespread changes in the climate and famine.

This may have pushed the Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, to the brink of collapse and opened the way for a new religion – Islam – to dominate.

The researchers have found evidence, locked inside ice cores and tree rings around the world, for a massive volcanic eruption in North America in 536AD.

The summer that year appeared to be exceptionally cold – between 1.6°C (34.8°F) and 2.5°C (36.5°F) below the 30 year average.

Historians such as Procopius record thick dust clouds darkening the skies across Europe for nearly 18 month and the sun shining as dimly as the Moon.

It is thought ash thrown out by the volcano caused the disaster, meaning crops received too little light to ripen.

Then again in around 539AD or 540AD a second enormous eruption spread more volcanic ash around the globe, blocking out the sun for several more months.

Researchers found evidence for this second eruption encased in ice in both Greenland and Antarctica.

And they said aerosols thrown high into the atmosphere by the eruptions led to longer term cooling of the Northern Hemisphere for the next decade.

The researchers say the environmental disaster was responsible for widespread famine and the great Justinian Plague of 541–543 CE that decimated populations in the Mediterranean and Asia, which is thought to have caused 50 million deaths.

Up until now, that downfall has been explained in terms of poor politics, nationalism, and resentment of Greek rule.

But scientists believe major eruptions that affected global climate would have reduce the annual rains in the highlands of Ethiopia that drained into the Nile, according to a report in New Scientist.

'Aerosols from volcanoes reduce evaporation and cool the temperature, leading to fewer clouds,' says Francis Ludlow of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, and the team's lead volcanologist.

The scientists say they have found almost exact matches between the timing of uprisings in the kingdom and a series of eruptions.

The kingdom was created following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, were land was divided amongst his generals. Up until now, that downfall of the kingdom has been explained in terms of poor politics, nationalism, and resentment of Greek rule. Pictured is a wall relief in Philae Temple, Aswan, Egypt.

The kingdom was created following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, were land was divided amongst his generals. Up until now, that downfall of the kingdom has been explained in terms of poor politics, nationalism, and resentment of Greek rule. Pictured is a wall relief in Philae Temple, Aswan, Egypt.

Evidence of the eruptions came from sulphate contamination in Greenland and Antarctica in the form of ice cores.

These are layered time capsules reaching back thousands of years that preserve particles from the atmosphere.

Eight out of nine revolts against the Ptolemaic rulers began within two years of eruption dates.

These revolts mean the Ptolemaic armies were worse equipped to seize new territory in Mesopotamia between 274 and 96 BC.

'Now, we can see it's all lining up,' says Manning.

'The last four centuries BC were very active volcanically and as a result saw this incredible instability, which ultimately paved the way for the kingdom to fall and for the rise of the Roman Empire.'


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