The Late Antique Dust Veil Event

A volcanic eruption, likely in Iceland, ejected sulfate aerosols into the atmosphere in 536 CE, creating a dust veil that reduced solar radiation worldwide. Contemporary writers, including Procopius of Caesarea, described diminished sunlight and fog across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Asia for 18 months. Summer temperatures in Europe dropped approximately 2.5°C, causing crop failures and famine. A second eruption in 539-540 CE extended the cooling period. These events preceded the Justinian Plague of 541 CE and initiated the Late Antique Little Ice Age (536-660 CE), affecting political, economic, and demographic conditions across the early medieval world.