# Justinianic Plague Begins (541)

URL: https://roman-history.com/timeline/541-justinianic-plague-begins
Location: Mediterranean
Categories: main-event

A major outbreak reached imperial territories and Constantinople, recurring for generations.

## Why it matters
Mortality compounded the empire's fiscal and military burdens.

Ruler at the time: [Justinian I](https://roman-history.com/rulers/justinian-i)