How climate change contributed to the collapse of the Roman Empire and 7 other ancient civilizations

An ancient Roman amphitheater in Tunisia.DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI/Getty Images

• Recent emphasis on climate science has impacted how we think about ancient civilizations.
• Long-held theories about the collapse of ancient civilizations are starting to change.

Coliseums, giant stone heads, abandoned gardens, and ancient signs of plumbing are all signs of a prosperous and intelligent ancient civilization.

So why leave it all behind?

For years, scientists have been trying to solve these mysteries and have developed varying theories.

However, with our current reckoning with a volatile climate, researchers are starting to apply the lens of climate change to the collapse of ancient civilizations.

Using carbon dating, isotopes in river or lake sediment, coring trees, and a variety of other techniques, scientists are starting to gain a better understanding of climate change as a contributing factor to ancient societal collapse.