Marseille as entry point of Black Death

The Black Death is believed to have entered Europe through Marseille via commercial ships from Crimea, according to historical accounts. This theory has long been accepted as the primary explanation for how the disease spread across the continent.

Source of the disease now known

It is now established that the source of the Black Death was in Asia, specifically in the region that is now China and Central Asia. The disease was likely transmitted through trade routes, but the exact path it took to reach Europe remains debated.

Challenging the maritime spread theory

Historian Laure-Hélène Gouffran has recently questioned the idea that the Black Death spread exclusively through maritime routes. She argues that this theory is increasingly being challenged by new historical analysis and evidence.

Issues with historical sources

Gouffran points out that there is a lack of direct historical testimony describing the arrival of the plague in Marseille. Most accounts of the event were written after the fact and may be based on unreliable or secondhand information.

Unreliable narratives about the route

According to Gouffran, none of the historical texts that mention the arrival of the plague in Marseille provide a clear or uncontested account of the maritime route the disease took. This lack of reliable evidence calls into question the accuracy of the traditional narrative.