A&E: Ancient Mysteries - The Black Death

Cutting a wide swath from Egypt to Constantinople, and leaving over 100 million dead in its wake, the Black Death--or bubonic plague--is the most deadly disease the earth has ever encountered. Presumed to have spread from Egypt via large exports of grain and the rats and vermin that were inevitably in attendance, the disease plunged the world into the Dark Ages, and was attributed at the time to the wrath of God. Although much more is known about the disease today, it remains a constant threat that people like Kenneth L. Gage, Plague Section Chief at the Center for Disease Control, are constantly working to contain. Gage is interviewed for this A&E special, offering extensive information on the workings of the disease, including how it lives, spreads, and kills. New developments in plague prevention are addressed, while artifacts and ancient art, along with accounts from the time and extensive location footage, shed horrific light on this crucial time in world history.