Locust Infestations in the Ancient World

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study examines the devastating impacts of locust infestations on agriculture, economy, and society based on Ancient Greek and Roman sources. Ancient Greek and Roman authors approached locust plagues both as a subject of scientific curiosity and as a catastrophic threat to agriculture. While Aristotle provides detailed accounts of the reproductive cycles of locusts and the eggs they deposit in the soil, Theophrastus notes that these organisms emerge particularly during hot and arid periods, destroying crops before harvest by consuming not only the leaves but also the stems. Plinius reports that locust swarms reached densities capable of obscuring the sun and expanded across vast areas, even crossing seas. These infestations led to chain-reaction famines by destroying not only a single year’s harvest but also the seeds reserved for the following year. Strabon and Diodoros Siculus record how locust disasters collapsed agriculture in various geographies and forced populations to migrate. Ancient authors emphasize that locusts proliferate during hot and dry spells, causing abrupt crop failure by decimating vegetation. This situation resulted in severe consequences such as famine, migration, and the erosion of social order. The observations of ancient writers remain relevant today. Coupled with climate change, droughts and sudden rainfalls trigger locust infestations, thereby threatening global food security. As in antiquity, locusts continue to pose a significant challenge for humanity.