Examining a sequence of tropical and high-latitude volcanic eruptions, the researchers focused on summer flood levels during Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty (305-30 B.C. “ Ancient Egyptians depended almost exclusively on Nile summer flooding brought by the summer monsoon in East Africa to grow their crops,” Manning said. Nonetheless, the scientists were able to identify a recurring proximity between such events and the timing of major volcanic eruptions. Understanding historical context is essential to determining how shocks from diminished Nile flooding triggered revolts and constrained Ptolemaic war-making. “We are living in a period where we are fairly quiescent in terms of large volcanic eruptions that are affecting climate.

Source: Ethiopian News October 17, 2017 17:37 UTC