Metastatic Prostate Carcinoma from Imperial Rome (1st to 2nd Centuries AD).

OBJECTIVE: This study describes and discusses a rare case of metastatic carcinoma that affected the skeleton of an adult male recovered in the necropolis of Casal Bertone in Rome (Italy). The necropolis, which dates back to the Imperial Age (1st to 2nd century AD), is located near some residential structures and a large place identified as a fullery (fullonica). METHODS: Anthropological and paleopathological studies of the skeletal remains were performed via careful macroscopic, microscopic, radiological (X-ray and CT scan), and histological investigation. RESULTS: The skeleton displayed mixed osteoclastic and osteoblastic lesions that mainly involved the axial bones, in particular the sternum, the ribs, the spine, and the scapular and pelvic girdles. The anatomical distribution and the destructive and proliferative nature of the lesions suggested diffuse metastases arising from a soft-tissue primary cancer. The age and sex of the individual, as well as radiographic and histological pictures, allowed diagnosis of an advanced prostate cancer with extensively diffused bone metastases. CONCLUSION: At present, this is the only case of prostate cancer from the Imperial Age recovered in Rome.

Palaeopathology of human remains from the Roman Imperial Age.

The increasing attention of archaeological and anthropological research towards palaeopathological studies has allowed to focus the examination of many skeletal samples on this aspect and to evaluate the presence of many diseases afflicting ancient populations. This paper describes the most interesting diseases observed in skeletal samples from five necropolises found in urban and suburban areas of Rome during archaeological excavations in the last decades, and dating back to the Imperial Age. The diseases observed were grouped into the following categories: articular diseases, traumas, infections, metabolic or nutritional diseases, congenital diseases and tumors, and some examples are reported for each group. Although extensive epidemiological investigation in ancient skeletal records is impossible, palaeopathology allowed highlighting the spread of numerous illnesses, many of which can be related to the life and health conditions of the Roman population.

[MUSCULOSKELETAL MARKERS, ARTHROPATY, TRAUMAS]. / INDICATORI SCHELETRICI DI LAVORO: MARCATORI MUSCOLO-SCHELETRICI, ARTROPATIE E TRAUMI.

The bone tissue remodeling due to strong physical/working activity is defined as ergonomic markers or MSM (Muscoloskeletal Stress Markers) (Capasso et al. 1999) and MOS (Markers of Occupational Stress). Among them we can find: enthesopaties, arthropaties, non metrical stress and traumas markers. In the present study, the analysis of these traits has been used to clarify habitual activity patterns of four imperial populations from Suburbium: Castel Malnome, Casal Bertone area Q, Via Padre Semeria e Quarto Cappello del Prete. The very high prevalence of activity-induced stress lesions occurred among the individuals of Castel Malnome and Casal Bertone area Q suggests that these groups were involved in strenuous occupations such as, respectively: the processing and storage of salt and the dyeing of textiles and hides discernible from the archaeological context. For the individuals of Via Padre Semeria and Quarto Cappello del Prete the alterations, instead, could be compatibles with agricultural work.

Bone deformities and skeletal malformations in the Roman Imperial Age.

This paper describes some cases of individuals affected by skeletal deformities resulting in "freak" appearance. The skeletal remains were found during large archaeological excavations in the Roman territory, carried out by the Special Superintendence to the Archeological Heritage of Rome in the last years, dated back to the Imperial Age. The first cases reported are referred to two growth disorders with opposite effects: a case of dwarfism and another of gigantism. The former concerns a young man from the Collatina necropolis with very short and malformed limbs, which allowed a diagnosis of acondroplasic dwarfism, a rare congenital disorder that limits height below 130 cm. The latter case comes from the necropolis of Torre Serpentana in Fidenae, and is instead referred to a young person of very high stature, about 204 cm, suffering from Gigantism, a rare condition which in this case seems to have been linked to a hormonal dysfunction due to a pituitary adenoma. A third case regards a joint disease affecting the vertebral column and causing severe deformities. The skeleton was found in the Collatina necropolis and belongs to an old woman, suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. Finally, the last and very peculiar case is related to an individual recovered in the necropolis of Castel Malnome. The skeletal remains belong to an adult man with a complete fusion of the temporo-mandibular joint, which compromised mastication and caused severe deformation of the maxillofacial complex. These cases are described in detail together with the possible implications that these deformities could have on in the social context.

[The contribute of the trauma analysis to reconstruct the lifestyle of Castel Malnome community (Rome, I-II cent. A.C.)]. / Il contributo dell'analisi traumatologica nella ricostruzione dello stile di vita della comunita di Castel Malnome (Roma, I-II sec. D.C.).

The relations between fractures and living conditions of a population are important to reconstruct the biological status of a population. This work is focused on the description and interpretation of trauma in the skeletal remains: the sample consist of 218 individuals, coming from Roman imperial necropolis of Castel Malnome (I-II century AD). The trauma incidence has been considered by the calculation offrequencies per individual and per bone. The examination of the pattern offractures in the skeleton for this site indicates that the individuals are characterized by high level of trauma and reveals that ulna and ribs were the mostfrequently affected bones. The evidence of trauma in this population may reflect many factors about the lifestyle of individuals,for example their occupation and environmental conditions, moreover the state of healing of the injuries may also indicate the availability of treatments.

[Dental caries: new data from imperial Roman necropolis]. / La carie dentaria a Roma: indicazioni da alcuni sepolcreti suburbani d'epoca imperiale.

The relations between oral disease and living conditions and health of a population are important to reconstruct the biological status of a population. The incidence of caries was considered by the calculation of frequencies for individual and for tooth but also by the estimate of index of caries et extraction in four Roman imperials necropolis. The analysis indicates a general increase in carious affection in mesio-distal direction, and mandibular teeth seem to be lesser affected than maxillary ones. The comparison among the necropolis seem to confirm a different socio-economic organization: sub-urban contexts probably had a simple carbohydrates rich diet and this may have encouraged the growth of carious injuries. Conversely the lower frequency of caries in Vallerano, probably associated to small farming communities, could be attributed to a diet with an highest protein/carbohydrate. In both contexts, however, the degree of dental hygiene was a significant cause of caries.

[Life in imperial Rome: new data from recent excavations in Suburbium]. / Vivere a Roma in eta imperiale: evidenze antropologiche da recenti scavi nel Suburbio.

One of the goals of the anthropological research of the Anthropological Service of the Archaeological Superintendence of Rome is to reconstruct the hygienic-environmental living conditions of the ancient populations in Imperial Age. We considered some not specific pointers of stress in four necropolis, that are excavated in the last years in the Suburbium. In particular Harris's lines, porotic hyperostosis and enamel hypoplasia are been considered. Two shape of research have been lead: (a) an analysis of the frequencies of the three factors on the data from a single necropolis and (b) a comparison between enamel hypoplasia and porotic hyperostosis. The distributions of such alterations indicates the presence of light stresses.