Cilliers and Reteif go on to describe the second great plague affecting Rome. The Plague of Cyprian, (249-262 AD) caused widespread shortages across the empire, and was one of the major contributing factors to the Crisis of the Third Century although considered to be separate from the Antonine Plague, it is very similar and also believed to have originated from smallpox, or perhaps measles. Saint Cyprian makes the most vivid description of the effects of the disease as dysentery, loss of motor skills, and of course fever, and in turn has the disease named after him (also possibly due to the oppression of Christianity at the time). The Plague of Cyprian actually increased the membership of the Catholic Church as the Roman populace suffered their second major plague, faith was being lost in Rome and found in the Christian God. The plague spread from Asia into Alexandria, moving its way into major port cities and soon throughout the entire empire. Accounts in North Africa from the Christians note the sheer death toll and daily events of death. Notably, his list does not include skin rashes or swelling, which is the main separation from the bubonic plague and Antonine Plague. The plague did exhibit some unique symptoms including haemorrhages, giving the plague a bloody and infamous reputation.This plague was very widespread, possibly originating in Ethiopia and spreading to Scotland. With the skin contact-spreading nature of the disease and the crowded civilization style in Rome, the death toll was tremendous in the empire.