“Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use” crossword clue

Reveal the answer to see why it works and where this clue has appeared before.LEAD is the answer to the New York Times crossword clue “Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use”. It was last seen in the puzzle of October 17, 2026, where it runs at 47 Down and fills 4 squares. It crosses 4 other entries in that grid — those are listed below and are the quickest way to confirm the letters you already have.