The Dancing Plague of 1518 stands as one of history’s most bewildering mass phenomena. In the sweltering summer heat of Strasbourg, a woman named Frau Troffea began dancing feverishly in the streets. What started as one person’s peculiar behavior quickly spiraled into a frenzy that would grip hundreds of citizens.
Image credit: The Public Domain Review
Within days, dozens of people joined this involuntary dance marathon, their numbers swelling to nearly 400 participants. Many danced until they collapsed from exhaustion, while others succumbed to heart attacks and strokes. Local physicians of the time were baffled, attributing the bizarre behavior to hot blood or spiritual possession.
Modern scientists suggest this event might have been triggered by severe stress, social tension, and religious fervor. The medieval period was marked by famine, disease, and social upheaval, creating perfect conditions for mass psychogenic illness. This dancing fever continued for nearly a month before gradually subsiding, leaving the city forever changed.
Fast forward to 1932, when Australia faced an equally unusual mass event known as the Great Emu War. Following World War I, veteran soldiers-turned-farmers in Western Australia encountered an unexpected enemy. Thousands of emus migrated inland, devastating crops and leaving agricultural destruction in their wake.
Image credit: Wikipedia
The government responded by deploying military personnel armed with Lewis guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Major G.P.W. Meredith led the operation, confident that modern military tactics would prevail against the flightless birds. However, the emus proved remarkably resilient and tactical, moving in small groups and scattering when attacked.
Despite the military’s efforts, the birds demonstrated surprising intelligence and adaptability. The soldiers’ initial attempts resulted in limited success, with the emus seemingly developing an understanding of the weapons’ range. After several failed attempts and mounting ammunition costs, the military withdrew, leaving farmers to develop their own solutions.
These two historical events, though vastly different, share common threads of human attempts to control unexpected mass phenomena. The Dancing Plague reveals how collective behavior can spiral beyond rational explanation, while the Great Emu War demonstrates nature’s ability to outsmart human military strategy. Both events continue to fascinate historians and scientists, offering insights into mass behavior and human response to unprecedented situations.
References:
The Dancing Plague of 1518 — The Public Domain Review – link
Emu War – Wikipedia – link
The Great Emu War: When Australians Lost to Flightless Birds – link
Categories: Do you know, Historical Mysteries, Mass Phenomena, Military History, Urban Legends
Tags: Australian History, Dancing Plague, Emu War, Historical Events, Mass Hysteria, Medieval History, Military History, strange history
Religion: Mixed
Country of Origin: Australia, France
Topic: Historical Mass Events
Ethnicity: Mixed
