The Roman Empire Deteriorated People's Health: Evidence in Bones.

According to ТСН: History textbooks often mention the "Roman miracle" - aqueducts, baths, roads, and the cultural flourishing that the empire brought to the conquered lands. It is usually believed that life improved after the arrival of the Romans. However, a new bioarchaeological study challenges this notion.

In an article published in the scientific journal Antiquity, unexpected findings from researchers are presented.

Bones Don't Lie

British researchers decided to study the health of people living in the Iron Age before the arrival of the Romans, comparing it to the health of those who fell under the empire's rule. They analyzed the skeletons of 274 adult women and 372 children aged up to 3.5 years.

Scientists looked for signs of "stress" on the bones - evidence of famine or severe illness in childhood.

"The increase in the prevalence of negative health markers among the Roman population compared to their Iron Age predecessors indicates that these people were more likely to be exposed to increasingly negative external environments," the study's conclusions state.

The City as a Trap for Health

The results showed that those who decided to enjoy the benefits of civilization and moved to cities were the most affected. Urbanization had catastrophic consequences:

• 61.5% of urban children during the Roman era had bone pathologies (compared to 26% in the "wild" Iron Age).

• Every other child in the city was stunted in growth.

• Women began to suffer massively from rickets, scurvy, and respiratory infections.

The causes of this were dense construction, unsanitary conditions, and the use of lead - in water pipes, utensils, and even as a wine sweetener. City dwellers faced daily poisoning from heavy metals, which destroyed their immunity and bones.

The Lifebuoy of the Village

A completely different situation was observed in rural areas. The study showed that peasants living far from imperial centers remained significantly healthier.

Their survival is explained by conservatism. Rural communities ignored the Roman trend for vitamin-poor diets and continued to eat and live as their ancestors did. Distance from cities protected them from lead poisoning and epidemics that afflicted city dwellers.

Thus, history shows that progress can sometimes be more dangerous than barbarism.

The study also identified the cause of the decline of Byzantium. Researchers proved that the "Late Antique Little Ice Age" was a catalyst for the decline of the Eastern Roman Empire. This reminds us that changes in the environment can significantly influence people's well-being, regardless of how advanced a civilization is.