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The volcano that could have helped found a mighty empire

A violent eruption in the far north might have changed the course of history.
Marble relief depicting Julius Caesar invading Britain by John Deare (1759-1798) a British neo-classical sculptor.

Julius Caesar (pictured centre, with shield) was assassinated in 44 BC, which helped to set the stage for the rise of the Roman Empire. An Alaskan volcano called Okmok might also have contributed to the empire’s success. Credit: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty

The eruption of an Alaskan volcano more than two millennia ago caused ruinous climate change — and might have spurred the rise of the Roman Empire.

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Nature 583, 11 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-01873-w

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