A plague from on high? Comets, disease and meteorology in late medieval England

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• Tom Banbury (Department of History and Philosophy of Science)
• Monday 14 October 2024, 13:00-14:00
• Seminar Room 2, Department of History and Philosophy of Science.

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The appearance of comets was often considered to presage momentous events on Earth, such as the deaths of kings, defeat in battle, and oncoming natural disasters. With the arrival of the Black Death in the 14th century, comets and other fiery phenomena were co-opted as one of many ways of predicting the spread of the disease. However, there is more to the association between shooting stars and pestilence than simply ominous signs.

Building on the work of Sara Schechner, I explore the relationship between cometary appearances and medicine in the late medieval period, analysing what learned authorities and popular culture considered comets to be formed from, and how this related to the spread of disease. While the intersections between health and astronomy have mostly been examined from the perspective of astrological medicine and iatromathematics, this episode in the history of the Plague suggests strong links between the material elements of meteorology, and of the human body.

This talk is part of the Cabinet of Natural History series.

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