Epidemic of plague in Marseille in 1720-1721. Bringing; it was believed at the time; by a ship from Syria; this flower quickly repanded to Marseille; where soon two thousand corpses were piled up on the esplanade of La Tourette. Knight Roze forcibly employed a hundred galleries to bury the bodies in the cellars of the ancient ramparts. The epidemic spread throughout the region; notably Aix en Provence and Toulon; and disappeared only after several months; killing between 90;000 and 120;000 out of a population of about 400;000. According to recent analyses; this epidemic is in fact a resurgence of the Great Black Plague; which had surpassed Europe in the 14th century. Engraving of L'Histoire Populaire de la France by Lahure; mid-19th century.