Biological Weapons, Their History, and Methods of Use
Por Adolph Aid
Mestre em Proteção Contra Eventos CBRNE
“Since creation, man has tried several means, whether to defend himself or even to attack his enemies, seize their properties, or invade their lands. Biological weapons have a long history in the wars that humans have fought against each other for thousands of years. For example, microorganisms are the enemy of humans and a major cause of illness and death. Since ancient times, man has used various means that were available at the time to spread viruses and bacteria among his enemies, even before he knew the science behind them.
Biological Weapons History:
Its first use recorded was in 1346 AD in the city of Qafa, which is in the Crimean Peninsula (currently the Russian Federation). The city was subject to the control of the Maritime Republic of Jenova, which was besieged by the Tatars to conquer it. After three years of siege, the plague was claiming thousands of lives among Tatars every day. Despite the heavy losses among their ranks, the Tatars were able to transmit the disease to their enemies inside the fortified city after catapulting thousands of corpses of their comrades who were infected with the plague over the city walls using catapults. After a short period, the plague was spread to the inhabitants and soldiers of the afflicted city, and it soon fell into the hands of the attackers, and its inhabitants fled by boats that they used to transport goods to and from Europe, carrying with them the “Black Death “to the “Old Continent”. Here Europe’s suffering began with the newly arriving disease from across the seas, which in turn claimed millions of Europeans’ lives.
Some other historians date back to the years 800 BC when biological weapons were used by the Scythians (nomadic warriors who inhabited the plains of Siberia at that time), who used to dip their arrows, spears, and swords into decomposing/decaying corpses before launching them at their enemies to transmit diseases.”
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