The Devastating and Diabolical Ancient Origins of Biological Warfare

History paints a bleak picture of the devastating effects that disease, contamination, or poison can have on humans. But with those hard lessons came experience and knowledge, and mankind has effectively harnessed that knowledge to create biological weapons, using them against enemies since prehistoric times.

The deliberate use of biological agents against enemies has been practiced time and time again throughout history to lethal effect.

Acts of ancient biological warfare generally fall into three categories: deliberate contamination of water sources and food supplies with poisons or contagions; the use of toxins and microbes from plants and animals on a weapon; and the purposeful infection of goods and people with disease.

Aboriginals have long coated arrowheads and spear points with plant and animal toxins, from frog or snake. In prehistoric times toxins were used on hunting weapons to quicken the death of enemies or prey. As the advantages of poison became clear, tools and weapons were specifically constructed for poisons.  In fact, the word “toxin” itself comes from the ancient Greek term for arrow poison.