Climate Was a Hidden Global Force
Many regions were affected by broad climate shifts during the post-classical era, even if local effects differed. Historians see climate as one of the few forces that touched multiple human populations at once.Post-classical History: When Climate Changed Civilizations
A Volcanic Shock Hit the Planet
The extreme weather of 536–537 was likely triggered by the eruption of the Lake Ilopango caldera. Sulfate in the air helped cool the planet, damage crops, and drive migrations, and average temperatures stayed colder for at least a century.Post-classical History: When Climate Changed Civilizations
