Dwarfism in Imperial Rome: A Case of Skeletal Evidence

Simona Minozzi Agata Lunardini,Paola Catalano Davide Caramella

doi:10.4172/2155-9627.1000154

Abstract

The palaeopathological study of skeletal human remains may contribute to extend the knowledge about ancient diseases and their impact on society. Literary sources about many pathological conditions are scarce, but in some cases they are improved by iconographic representations of diseases in paintings and sculptures from the ancient world in Egyptian, Greek and Roman art. In the same way, the anthropological description and medical diagnosis of pathological skeletons found during archaeological excavations witness the presence of diseases. This work presents a case of dwarfism in an adult skeleton of the Imperial Age (I-II century A.D.) from Rome. The anthropological study evidenced a very short stature of this individual (ca 134 cm) who showed several centimetres of shortening of the limbs, compared with the osteometric data of the coeval Roman population. The presence of dwarfs in Rome during the Imperial Age is well documented by literary and iconographic sources; they were very appreciated, in particular by elitarian families, and provided for jokes and entertainment purposes.

Highlights

Many aspects of ancient diseases, with particular regard to some genetic conditions, remain unclear, because literary sources are missing or scarce
The skeletal remains were found in the Collatina necropolis, the greatest Roman necropolis of the Imperial Age, placed only a few kilometres from the centre of Rome, during archaeological excavations directed by the Special Superintendence to the Archaeological Heritage of Rome
The earliest case of chondrodystrophic dwarfism was found in an Italian Late Upper Paleolithic burial (10,000 BP,) [3] and a few cases have been reported in ancient Egyptian skeletal remains [4,5,6]; more recent examples of achondroplasia of Medieval Age have been described in Poland, Hungary, and Wales [7,8,9]

Summary

Introduction

Many aspects of ancient diseases, with particular regard to some genetic conditions, remain unclear, because literary sources are missing or scarce. The skeleton, poorly preserved but in anatomical connection, was found in a simple soil grave, lying on its left side with flexed legs, an uncommon disposition for this period in which the corpses were usually buried in supine position [1]; some amphora fragments partially covered the upper part of the body and no grave goods were found (Figure 1) These elements, alongside the position of the tomb in a part of the necropolis used by urban people belonging to the lower social class, suggest that the individual belonged to the common population, but we have no archaeological data that can help establish whether he was a slave, libertus or Roman citizen. Figure: Archaeological excavations: The grave of the pathological individual during excavations

Case Reports in Bioethics

Differential Diagnosis

Discussion and Conclusions