The great plague which raged in 542 and the following years (Pagi, Critica, tom. ii. p. 518.) must be traced in Procopius (Persic. l. ii. c. 22, 23.), Agathias (l. v. p. 153, 154.), Evagrius (l. iv. c. 29.), Paul Diaconus (l. ii. c. iv. p. 776, 777.), Gregory of Tours (tom. ii. l. iv. c. 5, p 205.), who styles it Lues Inguinaria, and the Chronicles of Victor Tunnunensis (p. 9. in Thesaur. Temporum,), of Marcellinus, (p. 54.) and of Theophanes, (p. 153.).