Troels Pank Arbøll

Project title

From Catastrophe to Culture: Understanding Epidemics in Ancient Mesopotamia

What is your project about?

This project will provide the first holistic study of epidemics in ancient Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Syria), drawing on cuneiform texts and archaeological evidence from the 3rd to the 1st millennium BCE. It investigates how epidemics emerged, spread, and impacted ancient societies over the course of approximately 2000 years of written history. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining philological analysis, archaeological data, meta-analysis of ancient DNA studies, and epidemiological modelling, the project will examine six case studies to map the frequency, transmission, and societal responses to epidemic events. In collaboration with the PandemiX Center of Excellence, the findings will contribute new historical depth to our understanding of humanity’s early experiences with epidemic disease and reshape the timeline of ancient epidemics.

How did you become interested in your particular field of research?

The field of Assyriology studies cuneiform writing and the cultures that employed this script in ancient Mesopotamia from approximately 3200 BCE to 80 CE. My research focuses on ancient physicians, conceptions of disease, anatomy and physiology, the spread of illnesses, healing substances, the transmission of knowledge, as well as the iconography of demons. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I took the opportunity to explore the history of epidemics in the ancient Middle East, and I was surprised to discover that the topic had never been systematically investigated. Despite the occurrence of epidemic events throughout large parts of human history, their historical origins remain little known outside ancient Middle Eastern studies. By addressing this gap, the project will offer new insights into how ancient societies and cultures experienced, managed, and made sense of epidemic crises.

What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?

To answer its exciting research questions, the project examines complex data, such as the various ancient terms for epidemic outbreaks, many of which still require detailed analysis. To gain a comprehensive understanding of ancient epidemics, the project combines philological and archaeological analysis of texts and excavation reports, a meta-study of attested infectious diseases in antiquity, and epidemiological models to estimate disease transmission. The aim is to produce the first epidemic timeline for the ancient Middle East and establish a new, holistic understanding of how epidemics arose, spread, and were experienced in Mesopotamia. The project will lay the foundation for a new subfield in the early history of medicine and epidemics, anchored in Danish Assyriology.

What is your estimate of the impact, which your project may have to society in the long term?

If we want to understand how urban populations confront, live with, and overcome epidemic outbreaks, it is essential to identify the urban patient zero and reconstruct humanity’s relationship with epidemics from that point onward. When people in ancient Mesopotamia built the world’s first metropolises in the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE, the spread of infections accelerated to a previously unknown degree. Society suddenly entered a state of constant physical and social interaction. By uncovering how these early urban communities responded to and overcame outbreaks of infectious disease, the project offers a unique historical perspective on health crises. Accordingly, it aims to deepen our understanding of the social and cultural consequences of epidemics in order to ensure academic impact.

Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?

A Sapere Aude grant represents a decisive step forward in my research career, allowing me to build and lead a strong research team consisting of two postdoctoral scholars with expertise in Assyriology and Middle Eastern archaeology. The project will significantly strengthen my role as a research leader and position Danish Assyriology at the forefront of international research on ancient historical epidemiology. The grant will equip me with the necessary experience and leadership skills to lead future research on ancient epidemics and to drive the field forward in collaboration with my team. Finally, it will provide the freedom to develop new interdisciplinary methods that will both advance my field of research and enhance the relevance of Assyriology.

Background and personal life

I grew up west of Copenhagen, have lived on Amager and in Oxford, and now reside in Lejre with my wife, Dr Hedgehog (Sophie Lund Rasmussen), and our son. As with other researchers, my work is also my hobby, and I regularly spend my evenings reading intricate lines of cuneiform. When I am not immersed in the mysteries of the ancient world, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking our dog, reading fantasy novels, going to concerts, and watching horror films. I would like to find more time to play the guitar and enjoy tabletop games, though I am glad it still happens from time to time.