Is Gold Yellow? Plant Dyes and Gold-Making in the Ancient Chemical Arts.

Ancient Greek colour terminology captures brightness, light, and brilliance rather than clear-cut portions of the chromatic spectrum, as scholars agree today. This also applies to the rich semantic of yellow, which we investigate starting from a philosophical and theoretical perspective. We then shift our focus to Graeco-Roman technical writings dealing with alchemical dyes, cosmetics, and other crafts that made use of the same set of ingredients and colouring substances. We compile a complete list of yellow-dyeing plants used in antiquity, which will update and enlarge the lists currently available in secondary literature on the topic, such as the seminal catalogue by Robert J. Forbes. Drawing on these data and on laboratory reconstructions, we address two main questions. First, which shades of yellow were usually associated with the colour of gold, and how were these tints produced by ancient craftsmen and alchemists? And second, how did these procedures contribute to the ancient discourse on the colour of gold and its artificial reproduction?

Dementia in the Ancient Greco-Roman World Was Minimally Mentioned.

Background: The possibility that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) is a modern disease arises from the minimal mention of advanced cognitive decline by ancient Greeks and Romans, who were mainly concerned with the physical frailties of older ages. Objective: Because standard medical histories of elderly health lacked mention of cognitive decline, we examined texts by Greek and Roman authors that mentioned memory loss and dementia. Methods: Primary texts of Greco-Roman authors, 8th century BCE into the 3rd century CE, that mentioned cognitive decline were identified and critically evaluated. Secondary sources were excluded. Results: No ancient account of cognitive loss is equivalent to modern clinical data. The term dementia was occasionally used in antiquity, but not invariably linked to old age. Ancient Greeks and Romans expected intellectual competence beyond age 60. While some memory loss was acknowledged, we found only four accounts of severe cognitive loss that might represent ADRD. The possibility of modest ADRD prevalence in ancient Greece and Rome is consistent with its low prevalence in the Tsimane of Bolivia. These contemporary Amerindians live under conditions of high mortality from frequent infections and minimal cardiovascular disease with physically demanding lives. Tsimane after age 60 had increased mild cognitive impairment; the few cases of dementia were not clinically consistent with AD. Conclusions: The modern 'epidemic level' of advanced dementias was not described among ancient Greco-Roman elderly. The possible emergence of advanced ADRD in the Roman era may be associated with environmental factors of air pollution and increased exposure to lead. Further historical analysis may formulate critical hypotheses about the modernity of high ADRD prevalence.

An individual with Sarmatian-related ancestry in Roman Britain.

In the second century CE the Roman Empire had increasing contact with Sarmatians, nomadic Iranian speakers occupying an area stretching from the Pontic-Caspian steppe to the Carpathian mountains, both in the Caucasus and in the Danubian borders of the empire.1,2,3 In 175 CE, following their defeat in the Marcomannic Wars, emperor Marcus Aurelius drafted Sarmatian cavalry into Roman legions and deployed 5,500 Sarmatian soldiers to Britain, as recorded by contemporary historian Cassius Dio.4,5 Little is known about where the Sarmatian cavalry were stationed, and no individuals connected with this historically attested event have been identified to date, leaving its impact on Britain largely unknown. Here we document Caucasus- and Sarmatian-related ancestry in the whole genome of a Roman-period individual (126-228 calibrated [cal.] CE)-an outlier without traceable ancestry related to local populations in Britain-recovered from a farmstead site in present-day Cambridgeshire, UK. Stable isotopes support a life history of mobility during childhood. Although several scenarios are possible, the historical deployment of Sarmatians to Britain provides a parsimonious explanation for this individual's extraordinary life history. Regardless of the factors behind his migrations, these results highlight how long-range mobility facilitated by the Roman Empire impacted provincial locations outside of urban centers.

Learning from history in the midst of the COVID-19: epidemics/pandemics of antiquity up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

When humans discovered agriculture and livestock, they ceased to be nomads and began to settle in towns until they created large cities. From the first human settlements in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Anatolian Peninsula, populations were exposed and susceptible to new infectious agents, leading to epidemics and pandemics. Great civilizations emerged, such as Egypt, the land of Hatti, Israel, Greece, Carthage, and Rome, among others. Contact between different populations through wars or maritime trade is well documented and has been described as a source of epidemics throughout history. Epidemics described as plagues or pestilences, such as those of Egypt, the Hebrews, or the Hittites, are based on biblical texts or evidence such as tablets or hieroglyphic writings. We also reviewed classical books by authors such as Homer, Aeschylus, Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Thucydides, Diodorus Siculus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Titus Livius, Suetonius, and others; and described all epidemics/pandemics chronologically. This article describes the epidemics/pandemics for which there is written evidence from ancient Egypt to the fall of the Roman Empire. We should not be surprised when new epidemics/pandemics appear as causes of political and economic collapse, as this has been common throughout history, decimating, blocking, or even destroying cultures and civilizations repeatedly.

Cuando el hombre descubrió la agricultura y la ganadería, dejó de ser nómada y empezó a asentarse en pueblos hasta crear grandes ciudades. Desde los primeros asentamientos humanos en Egipto, Mesopotamia y la península de Anatolia, las poblaciones estuvieron expuestas y susceptibles a nuevos agentes infecciosos, dando lugar a epidemias y pandemias. Aparecieron grandes civilizaciones como Egipto, la Tierra de Hatti, Israel, Grecia, Cartago y Roma, entre otras. El contacto entre las distintas poblaciones a través de las guerras o el comercio marítimo está muy bien establecido y descrito como focos de epidemias a lo largo de la historia. Las epidemias descritas como plagas o pestilencias, como las que ocurrieron a los egipcios, los judíos, o los hititas, se describen con base en textos bíblicos o mediante evidencias como tablillas o escritos jeroglíficos. También revisamos libros clásicos de autores como Homero, Esquilo, Herodoto de Halicarnaso, Tucídides, Diodoro Sículo, Dionisio de Halicarnaso, Tito Livio, Suetonio, entre otros. Este artículo describe cronológicamente todas las epidemias/pandemias de las que existe evidencia a través de la escritura desde el antiguo Egipto hasta la caída del Imperio Romano. No debemos sorprendernos cuando aparecen nuevas epidemias/pandemias como causantes del colapso político y económico, ya que ha sido algo común a lo largo de la historia, diezmando, bloqueando o incluso destruyendo culturas y civilizaciones reiteradamente.

Archaeogenetics: Local genetic diversity and ethnic fluidity in post-Roman Pannonia.

During the fifth century, the Roman Empire underwent dramatic changes. New, ethnically identified polities emerged in the Mediterranean region. Historical research has highlighted the social complexities of this process. Archaeogenetics now shows the remarkably high genetic diversity of post-Roman local societies.

From Empire-wide integration to regional localization: A synthetic and quantitative study of heterogeneous amphora data in Roman Germania reveals centuries-long change in regional patterns of production and consumption.

We present novel insights into trade in amphorae-borne products over a 550-year period in Germania along the frontier of the Roman Empire, derived through probabilistic aoristic methods to study temporal changes in archaeological materials. Our data analysis reveals highly detailed differential patterns of consumption and production within the German market. We show how connections to far-flung regions such as the Eastern Mediterranean or the Iberian Peninsula wax and wane through time, and how the local German producers start to compete with these imported products. These chronological patterns provide important insight into a regional market within the larger Roman economy and provide an important case study in changing economic connections over a long period, demonstrating in a transparent and reproducible way a geographical and chronological pulsation in market activity that was otherwise unknown and undemonstrated.

A Multi-Analytical Approach on Silver-Copper Coins of the Roman Empire to Elucidate the Economy of the 3rd Century A.D.

In this study, 160 silver-copper alloy denarii and antoniniani from the 3rd century A.D. were studied to obtain their overall chemical composition. The approach used for their characterisation is based on a combination of physical, chemical, and chemometric techniques. The aim is to identify and quantify major and trace elements in Roman silver-copper coins in order to assess changes in composition and to confirm the devaluation of the currency. After a first cataloguing step, µ-EDXRF and SEM-EDX techniques were performed to identify the elements on the coins' surface. A micro-destructive sampling method was employed on a representative sample of the coins to quantify the elements present in the bulk. The powder obtained from drilling 12 coins (keeping the two categories of coins separate) was dissolved in an acidic medium; heated and sonicated to facilitate dissolution; and then analysed by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. The two currencies had different average alloy percentages; in particular, the % difference of Ag was about 8%. The other elements were found in concentrations <1 wt%. Of these, the element highest in concentration were Pb and Sn, which is in agreement with the literature. The multivariate analysis performed on the data acquired revealed two groups of coins, corresponding to the two currencies.

WHEN QUARTAN FEVER RELIEVED DEPRESSION: THE INCEPTION OF PYRETOTHERAPY IN THE GRECO-ROMAN ANTIQUITY.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: This paper explores the documentation of the effect of quartan fever on, the ancient Greek equivalent of conditions falling nowadays under the spectrum of depression, in Greco-Roman medical sources. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The authors searched original medical texts written in Greek by physicians who lived and practiced Medicine in the broader Mediterranean region from the 5th century BC to the 7th century AD for records related to quartan fever and neuropsychiatric diseases. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Quartan fever was used as a treatment for neuropsychiatric conditions until the middle of the 20th century. Although malaria can have severe neuropsychiatric sequelae, the neuroimmunological underpinnings of the effect of fever and heat on depression warrant further investigation.

Food for the soul and food for the body. Studying dietary patterns and funerary meals in the Western Roman Empire: An anthropological and archaeozoological approach.

Ancient written sources show that Roman funerary rituals were relevant along the entire Roman Republic and Empire, as they ensured the protection of deities and the memory of the deceased. Part of these rituals consisted of funerary offerings and banquets that were held on the day of the burial, in festivities and other stipulated days. The faunal remains recovered inside the graves and around them are evidence of these rituals. Therefore, their study can allow us to know if the funerary meals and rituals developed in the Roman necropolis were special and implied food that differed from everyday dietary habits, according to the importance of these rituals. To test this, we analysed the archaeozoological and anthropological material from the necropolis of Vila de Madrid (Barcelona, Catalonia), which was in use between the first half of the 2nd century AD and mid 3rd century AD. The archaeozoological analysis of the faunal remains recovered in the necropolis and inside the graves, as well as carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios results on bone collagen from 50 faunal specimens and 41 humans, suggest that, overall, funerary meals in Vila de Madrid necropolis did not imply different food than that consumed during life. Regarding age, sex, offerings and diet, some differences are observed, suggesting that inequalities present in life could have been also present in the funerary rituals.

Division of labor, specialization and diversity in the ancient Roman cities: A quantitative approach to Latin epigraphy.

Recent empirical studies on the division of labor in modern cities indicate a complex web of relationships between sectoral specialization of cities and their productivity on one hand and sectoral diversification and resilience on the other. Emerging scholarly consensus suggests that ancient urbanism has more in common with modern urban development than previously thought. We explore whether modern trends in urban division of labor apply to the cities of the Western Roman Empire from the first century BCE to the fourth century CE. We analyze occupational data extracted from a large body of Latin epigraphic evidence by computer-assisted text-mining, subsequently mapped onto a dataset of ancient Roman cities. We detect a higher frequency of occupation terms on inscriptions from cities led by Rome than from rural areas and identify an accumulation of tertiary sector occupations in large cities. The temporal dimension of epigraphic data allows us to study aspects of the division of labor diachronically and to detect trends in the data in a four centuries-long period of Roman imperial history. Our analyses reveal an overall decrease in the frequency of occupational terms between the first half and second half of the third century CE; the maximum frequency of occupational terms shifts over time from large cities to medium and small towns, and finally, rural areas. Our results regarding the specialization and diversity of cities and their respective impact on productivity and resilience remain inconclusive, possibly as a result of the socio-economic bias of Latin inscriptions and insufficient representativeness of the data. Yet, we believe that our formalized approach to the research problem opens up new avenues for research, both in respect to the economic history of the Roman Empire and to the current trends in the science of cities.

Vice-versa: The iron trade in the western Roman Empire between Gaul and the Mediterranean.

Starting from the second century BC, with the fast expansion of the Roman Empire, iron production and consumption developed exponentially in north-western Europe. This rapid growth naturally led to an increase in trade, that still remains to be studied encompassing a broad scope, so as to not neglect long-distance exchanges. This is today possible by taking advantage of the progress made in the past 40 years in archaeology and archaeometallurgy. Cargoes of iron bars recovered from a group of 23 wrecks located off the coast of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), opposite an old branch of the Rhône River, constitute a rich opportunity to examine this trade, by comparing the slag inclusions trapped in iron bars to primary slag from the six main ironmaking areas in Gaul. Based on a trace element analysis of these inclusions and this slag, we suggest that ships travelled down the Rhône carrying iron produced in Wallonia (Belgium), while others sailed up the Rhône transporting iron produced in Montagne Noire (Aude, France).

Height and health in Roman and Post-Roman Gaul, a life course approach.

OBJECTIVE: The present study explores growth and health in Roman (1st-3rd centuries CE) and Post-Roman (4th-7th centuries CE) Gaul, incorporating a life-course approach, to better understand the influence of Roman practices and lifestyles on health, and the impact of cultural change from the Roman to the Post-Roman period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The skeletal remains of 844 individuals were analyzed for non-specific signs of physiological stress, including growth disruption (diaphyseal and adult maximum femur length), dental enamel hypoplastic defects (DEH), cribra orbitalia (CO), and periosteal reaction of the tibiae (Tibia PR). RESULTS: The Gallo-Roman sample demonstrated shorter femoral lengths, and higher rates of DEH and Tibia PR. Post-Roman groups demonstrated longer femoral lengths and higher rates of CO. CONCLUSIONS: Gallo-Roman individuals may have been more regularly exposed to infectious pathogens throughout childhood, inhibiting opportunities for catch-up growth, resulting in high rates of DEH and shorter femoral lengths ('intermittent stress of low lethality'). This could be the result of overcrowding and insalubrious urban environments. Higher rates of CO in the Post-Roman samples may have been influenced by dietary changes between the periods. SIGNIFICANCE: The intertwined and often synergistic relationships between early life environment, nutrition and settlement structure is highlighted, helping to further understandings of life experiences during the Roman and Post-Roman periods. LIMITATIONS: It was not possible to obtain sufficient data from northern regions during the Gallo-Roman period, limiting this analysis. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Further application of life course approaches can reveal subtle patterns in stress indicators.

Morphological evaluation of dental diseases in Parion chamber tomb (OM 5) Roman people / Evaluación morfológica de enfermedades dentales en la tumba de la cámara de Parion (OM 5) del pueblo romano

SUMMARY: Most of the dental diseases occur due to tooth or jaw morphology or nutritional habits. Anatomical differences in the teeth and jaws of men and women can cause different dental diseases between the sexes. In this study, 33 skeletons obtained from the excavation of the ancient city of Parion, which are dated to the late Roman period, were examined. Dental diseases and possible causes were investigated on a total of 33 skeletons. In the evaluations, it was evaluated that some diseases were caused by the difference between the sexes, while some were classified as nutritional diseases. The rates of tooth decay are different between men and women with Parion. It has been determined that the most important reason for this is the different morphological structure of the jaws and teeth, but the nutritional differences also cause this. Other dental and jaw diseases were also evaluated in the Parion population.

RESUMEN: La mayoría de las enfermedades dentales se deben a la morfología de los dientes o la mandíbula o a los hábitos nutricionales. Las diferencias anatómicas en los dientes y las mandíbulas de hombres y mujeres pueden causar diferentes enfermedades dentales entre los sexos. En este estudio, se examinaron 33 esqueletos obtenidos de la excavación de la antigua ciudad de Parion, que datan del período romano tardío. Se investigaron las enfermedades dentales y las posibles causas en un total de 33 esqueletos. En las evaluaciones, se determinó que algunas enfermedades fueron causadas por la diferencia entre los sexos, mientras que otras fueron clasificadas como enfermedades nutricionales. Además se encontraron diferentes estimaciones de caries entre hombres y mujeres. Se analizó que la razón más importante de esto es la diferencia de la estructura morfológica de los maxilares y los dientes, sin embargo las diferencias nutricionales también es un factor que se debe considerar. Se evaluaron además, otras enfermedades dentales y de la mandíbula en la población de Parion.

Ancient genomes from a rural site in Imperial Rome (1st-3rd cent. CE): a genetic junction in the Roman Empire.

BACKGROUND: Rome became the prosperous Capital of the Roman Empire through the political and military conquests of neighbouring areas. People were able to move Romeward modifying the Rome area's demographic structure. However, the genomic evidence for the population of one of the broadest Empires in antiquity has been sparse until recently. AIM: The genomic analysis of people buried in Quarto Cappello del Prete (QCP) necropolis was carried out to help elucidate the genomic structure of Imperial Rome inhabitants. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We recruited twenty-five individuals from QCP for ancient DNA analysis through whole-genome sequencing. Multiple investigations were carried out to unveil the genetic components featuring in the studied samples and the community's putative demographic structure. RESULTS: We generated reliable whole-genome data for 7 samples surviving quality controls. The distribution of Imperial Romans from QCP partly overlaps with present-day Southern Mediterranean and Southern-Near Eastern populations. CONCLUSION: The genomic legacy with the south-eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Central and Western Northern-African coast funerary influence pave the way for considering people buried in QCP as resembling a Punic-derived human group.

The spread of the cult of Asclepius in the context of the Roman army benefited from the presence of physicians: A spatial proximity analysis.

The article applies a GIS based approach to the study of the spread of the cult of Asclepius, the Greco-Roman healing god, during the Roman period. It explores the role of soldiers and physicians in the spatial dissemination of the cult along the transportation network of Roman roads in the border provinces of Britannia, Germania Superior and Inferior, Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia Superior and Inferior, Moesia Superior and Inferior, and Dacia. These provinces were selected as a suitable area for quantitative GIS exploration because they were all on the outer border of the Roman Empire, had a significant military presence, and there is a representative amount of inscriptions attested that can be used as proxies for the spatial occurrence of the three measured variables: the cult of Asclepius, Roman soldiers, and Roman physicians. After establishing by means of spatial proximity analysis that the cult of Asclepius occurred frequently in the context of the Roman army, the article proposes and quantitatively evaluates a more specific hypothesis; i.e., that the spatial occurrences of Roman physicians in inscriptions are a relevant predictor for the spatial occurrences of the worship of Asclepius in the environment of the Roman army because of the shared focus between physicians and the cult of Asclepius-health and medicine. The highly significant results of the statistical analysis reveal a positive trend in the spatial relationships between Roman physicians and the worship of Asclepius in the context of the Roman army in the majority of provinces of interest, thus supporting the proposed hypothesis. The results presented in the article demonstrate the potential of the GIS approach in testing assumptions produced by traditional scholarship and in nuancing our understanding of a specific process of cultural spread.

A Roman provincial city and its contamination legacy from artisanal and daily-life activities.

Roman metal use and related extraction activities resulted in heavy metal pollution and contamination, in particular of Pb near ancient mines and harbors, as well as producing a global atmospheric impact. New evidence from ancient Gerasa (Jerash), Jordan, suggests that small-scale but intense Roman, Byzantine and Umayyad period urban, artisanal, and everyday site activities contributed to substantial heavy metal contamination of the city and its hinterland wadi, even though no metal mining took place and hardly any lead water pipes were used. Distribution of heavy metal contaminants, especially Pb, observed in the urban soils and sediments within this ancient city and its hinterland wadi resulted from aeolian, fluvial, cultural and post-depositional processes. These represent the contamination pathways of an ancient city-hinterland setting and reflect long-term anthropogenic legacies at local and regional scales beginning in the Roman period. Thus, urban use and re-use of heavy metal sources should be factored into understanding historical global-scale contaminant distributions.

Morphometric analysis of accessory vessel grooves (AVG) in the skulls of the ancient spradon population: an anthropological approach / Análisis morfométrico de los surcos de vasos sanguíneos accesorios (SVA) en los cráneos de la antigua población de spradon: un enfoque antropológico

SUMMARY: Accessory vessel grooves (AVG), or accessory vessel sulcus, is the name given to grooves seen in the frontal region of the skull. In studies conducted by anthropologists on antiquity skeletons, it is seen that some variations are confused with traumas due to the unknown skeletal morphology. This situation leads to an incorrect evaluation of the socio-economic or health structure of the population. In this study, an accessory vessel grooves research was carried out on the skeletons of the late Roman-early Byzantine population. Studies were conducted on 69 adult human skeletons of known age and sex, and 3 human skeletal skulls whose sex could not be determined. Accessory vessel grooves rate was calculated as 10.54 % in the Spradon ancient population. While there is 10.52 % AVG in female individuals in the population, lower AVG levels have been detected in males compared to females with 9.67 %. There is no significant difference between male and female individuals in terms of AVG. Although the lengths of AVG differ in the right and left frontal, it can be said that there is no difference in direction. Although the relation of AVG variation with high blood pressure is included in the literature, the intense appearance of this structure in the Spradon Population, especially in young individuals, weakens this hypothesis. The literature on the existence of AVG will expand further with the studies to be carried out on ancient Anatolian populations in the following years.

RESUMEN: Surcos de los vasos accesorios (SVA), o canales de vasos accesorios, es el nombre que se les da a los surcos que se ven en la región frontal del cráneo. En los estudios realizados por antropólogos sobre esqueletos de la antigüedad, algunas variaciones se pueden confundir con traumas debido a la morfología esquelética desconocida. Esta situación conduce a una valoración incorrecta de la estructura socioeconómica o sanitaria de la población. En este estudio, se llevó a cabo una investigación de surcos de vasos sanguíneos accesorios en los esqueletos de la población romana tardía y bizantina temprana. Se realizaron estudios en 69 esqueletos humanos adultos de edad y sexo conocidos, y 3 cráneos esqueléticos humanos cuyo sexo no se pudo determinar. La tasa de surcos de vasos accesorios se calculó como 10,54 % en la población antigua de Spradon. Si bien hay un 10,52 % de SVA en las mujeres de la población, se han detectado niveles más bajos de SVA en los hombres en comparación con las mujeres en un 9,67 %. No existe una diferencia significativa entre hombres y mujeres en términos de SVA. Aunque la relación de la variación de SVA con la hipertensión arterial está incluida en la literatura, la importante advertencia de esta estructura en la población de Spradon, particularmente en sujetos jóvenes, debilita esta hipótesis. La literatura sobre la existencia de SVA se ampliará aún más con los estudios que se llevarán a cabo en las antiguas poblaciones de Anatolia en el futuro.

El envejecimiento activo en la antigua Roma: ¿mens sana in corpore sano? / Envelhecimento ativo na antiga Roma: mens sana in corpore sano? / Active ageing in ancient Rome: mens sana in corpore sano?

Tomando como punto de partida el verso 356 de la sátira X de Juvenal—mens sana in corpore sano— y el análisis y estudio de su errónea interpretación, se detalla cómo uno de los elementos propios del modelo del envejecimiento activo, el del ejercicio físico practicado por los ancianos, ya estaba presente en los escritos de varios personajes de la antigua Roma. A través de la exégesis de las fuentes literarias, se demuestra la relación que existe entre la antigua Roma y nuestros días, en lo tocante al modelo de envejecimiento activo y particularmente en lo que se refiere a la práctica del ejercicio físico por parte de los senectos. Varios textos de Cicerón, Séneca, Plinio el Joven, Plutarco, Juvenal y Galeno, reflejan la existencia de conceptos propios del modelo de envejecimiento activo en una fecha tan temprana como son los siglos I a.C.-II d.C. Se trata de comentarios, descripciones y consejos, que muestran la importancia que se le daba al ejercicio físico, como garante de calidad de vida, desde una perspectiva empírica y también teórica.(AU)

Taking as a starting point the verse 356 of the satire X by Juvenal –mens sana in corpore sano- and the analysis and study of its misinterpretation, is described in detail as one of the proper elements of the model of active aging, the physical activity practiced by the elderly, it was present in the writings of several notable people in Ancient Rome. Through the exegesis of literary sources, we see that there is a relation between Ancient Rome and our time, with respect to the model of active aging and particularly in respect to the practice of physical exercise by the elderly. Various texts by Ciceron, Seneca, Plinio the Young, Plutarco, Juvenal and Galeno, reflect the existence of proper concepts of the model of active aging dating back as early as the I b.C -II a.C. It is about commentaries, descripctions and advises, that show the importance given to physical exercise as guarantor of quality of life from an empirical and theorical perspective as well.(AU)

Tomando como ponte partida o verso 356 de a sátira X de Juvenal –mens sana in corpore sano- e o análisis de estudo errado de interpretação é detalhado como um dos elementos proprios do modeo do envelheimento ativo, do exercicio físico praticado por os anciãos já estava presente nos escritos de varios personagens da Antiga Roma. Através da exegese das fontes literárias, isso mostra a relação que existe entre a Antiga Roma e nossos días no tocante ao modelo de envelhecimento ativo e particularmente no que se refere na prática do exercicio físico por parte dos senectos. Varios textos de Cicerón, Séneca, Plinio o Jovem, Plutarco, Juvenal e Galeno, revelam a existencia de conceitos possuidos do modelo de envelhecimento activo de una data precoce como são os siglos I a.C.-II d.C. É sobre comentarios, descriçoes e conselhos, que mostran a importancia que foi dado ao exercicio físico como garantia de qualidade de vida, desde una observação empirica e também teórica.(AU)

Gastrointestinal infection in Italy during the Roman Imperial and Longobard periods: A paleoparasitological analysis of sediment from skeletal remains and sewer drains.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate parasitic infection in Italy during the Roman period (27 BCE-476 CE) and subsequent Longobard (Lombard) period (6th-8th CE). MATERIALS: Sediment samples from drains and burials from Roman Imperial-period sites in Italy (Lucus Feroniae, Oplontis, Vacone, and Vagnari), Late Antique and Longobard-period burials at Selvicciola (ca. 4th-8th CE), and Longobard-period burials at Vacone and Povegliano Veronese. METHODS: Microscopy was used to identify helminth eggs and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect protozoan antigens. RESULTS: Roundworm and whipworm were found in pelvic sediment from Roman-period burials, while roundworm and the protozoan Giardia duodenalis were identified in Roman-period drains. In pelvic sediment from the Late Antique through Longobard periods, roundworm and Taenia tapeworm eggs were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Fecal-oral parasites were found throughout Imperial Roman Italy, suggesting that gastrointestinal infections caused a significant disease burden. In the Longobard period we see continuity in transmission of fecal-oral parasites, and the appearance of zoonotic parasites acquired from eating undercooked meat. SIGNIFICANCE: A wealth of information exists about certain diseases in the Roman period, but relatively little is known about intestinal parasites in Italy during the Roman and Longobard periods. This is the first evidence for Giardia in Roman period Italy, and for any parasites in the Longobard period in Italy. LIMITATIONS: Low egg concentrations and lack of controls for some samples makes it difficult to differentiate true infections from environmental contamination in some cases. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: Continual study of samples from Roman and Longobard period Italy.

Specific urogenital disease information-revealing male genital votive offerings dedicated to gods in ancient age sanctuary medicine / Información en los votivos de órganos genitales masculinos sobre enfermedades urogenitales, en las ofrendas a dioses en la antigua medicina para la sanación

OBJECTIVES: The people of ancient age appealed to sanctuaries of different gods and goddesses they believed to have healing powers and consecrated anatomical votive offerings representing their sick or healed organs. Male genital organ votives were also present among these votives. In this article, male genital organ votive offerings presented to gods and goddesses were examined and the votives giving information about the diseases they indicated were revealed in contemporary medicine. METHODS: Information available in written resources on ancient medicine and diseases was reviewed. Main sanctuary healing centers in Anatolia (Asia Minor), Greece and Italy which concurrently hosted similar civilizations were investigated. Male genital organ shaped anatomical votive samples in national and foreign medical history and archaeology museums, galleries and special collections were investigated and examined. RESULTS: It was observed that most male genital organ votives had a healthy and normal structure and didn’t provide any specific information on a urogenital disease. But it was also observed that some votives among genital organ votives consecrated by sick individuals to gods demonstrated some urogenital diseases and conditions. Among this very limited number of genital votives providing disease information, votives indicating phimosis, hypospadias, varicocele, penile hemangioma or condylama, Peyronie’s disease or penile curvature, genital hidradenitis suppurativa, condition of pubic hair and erectile condition of penis were detected. CONCLUSIONS: As proofs of seeking a remedy for diseases or recovering from diseases, anatomical organ votives are very important to understand ancient sanctuary medicine. Among male genital organ votives, very limited number of samples providing specific information on diseases provided us important information so that we can understand some ancient age diseases

OBJETIVOS: Los habitantes de la era antigua acudían a santuarios de distintos dioses con la creencia de que éstos tenían poderes curativos y les entregaban ofrendas votivas de partes anatómicas enfermas, bien para que fueran sanados o como ofrenda una vez sanados. Entre estas ofrendas votivas encontramos órganos reproductores masculinos. En este artículo se han revisado y examinado estas ofrendas votivas de órganos reproductores masculinos y de ello se ha podido obtener información sobre enfermedades que existen en la medicina contemporánea. MÉTODOS: La información presente en escritos de medicina ancestral y enfermedades se revisó. Los principales santuarios de sanación en Anatolia (Asia Menor), Grecia e Italia que de forma concurrente tuvieron diferentes civilizaciones, fueron investigadas. La forma del órgano genital masculino en muestras votivas de historia de la medicina nacional y extranjera, museos arqueológicos, galerías y colecciones especiales, fueron investigadas y examinadas. RESULTADOS: Se observa que la mayoría de votivos de órganos genitales masculinos tenían una forma natural y sana y no proporcionaban ninguna información especial respecto a enfermedades urogenitales. Aunque también se observó que algunos votivos de individuos enfermos a dioses si presentaban algunas enfermedades urogenitales y condiciones especiales. Entre los votivos enfermos, encontramos votivos con fimosis, hipospadias, varicocele, hemangioma peneanos y condilomas, enfermedad de Peyronie o curvatura peneana, hidradenitis genital supurativa, desarrollo de pelo púbico y condiciones eréctiles del pene. CONCLUSIONES: Como prueba del interés por encontrar un remedio a las enfermedades o recuperarse de enfermedades, los votivos de órganos anatómicos fueron muy importantes para entender la medicina antigua. Entre todas estas ofrendas votivas de órganos genitales, a pesar de que un número muy limitado de ellas nos ha proporcionado información concreta sobre enfermedades, la información obtenida en ellas ha sido crucial para entender algunas de las enfermedades de la edad antigua