Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity
2020
Authors
Ledger, Marissa L.Rowan, Erica
Marques, Frances Gallart
Sigmier, John H.
Sarkić, Nataša
Redžić, Saša
Cahill, Nicholas D.
Mitchell, Piers D.
Article (Published version)
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While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman period, much of this work has been focused in northern Europe, with major gaps in the eastern empire. In order to further elucidate regional patterns in parasitic infection in the Roman empire, we looked for evidence for parasites in sites from Anatolia and the Balkans. Sediment samples from drains as well as coprolites were studied to find evidence for intestinal parasites in the Roman cities of Viminacium (Serbia) and Sardis (Turkey), and results were combined with previous work in these regions. Each sample was tested for preserved helminth (worm) eggs using microscopy and for intestinal protozoa that cause diarrhea, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our analysis revealed a predominance of species spread by the contamination of food and water by human feces, namely roundworm and whipworm. The identification of these parasites (which are linked to sanitation and hygiene) in... Roman cities in Anatolia and the Balkans is contrasted with the range of zoonotic species found elsewhere in the empire. It appears that variations in cooking practices, diet, urbanization, and climate throughout the empire may have contributed to differences in gastrointestinal diseases in different regions.(1)
Keywords:
Roman empire / parasitic infection / gastrointestinal diseasesSource:
American Journal of Archaeology, 2020, 124, 4, 631-657Publisher:
- Archaeological Inst America, Boston
Funding / projects:
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Award [752-2016-285]
- Tidmarsh Cambridge Scholarship from The Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust
- Trinity Hall College, University of Cambridge
DOI: 10.3764/aja.124.4.0631
ISSN: 0002-9114
WoS: 000600393700005
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85098932580
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Археолошки институт / Institute of ArchaeologyTY - JOUR AU - Ledger, Marissa L. AU - Rowan, Erica AU - Marques, Frances Gallart AU - Sigmier, John H. AU - Sarkić, Nataša AU - Redžić, Saša AU - Cahill, Nicholas D. AU - Mitchell, Piers D. PY - 2020 UR - http://rai.ai.ac.rs/handle/123456789/366 AB - While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman period, much of this work has been focused in northern Europe, with major gaps in the eastern empire. In order to further elucidate regional patterns in parasitic infection in the Roman empire, we looked for evidence for parasites in sites from Anatolia and the Balkans. Sediment samples from drains as well as coprolites were studied to find evidence for intestinal parasites in the Roman cities of Viminacium (Serbia) and Sardis (Turkey), and results were combined with previous work in these regions. Each sample was tested for preserved helminth (worm) eggs using microscopy and for intestinal protozoa that cause diarrhea, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our analysis revealed a predominance of species spread by the contamination of food and water by human feces, namely roundworm and whipworm. The identification of these parasites (which are linked to sanitation and hygiene) in Roman cities in Anatolia and the Balkans is contrasted with the range of zoonotic species found elsewhere in the empire. It appears that variations in cooking practices, diet, urbanization, and climate throughout the empire may have contributed to differences in gastrointestinal diseases in different regions.(1) PB - Archaeological Inst America, Boston T2 - American Journal of Archaeology T1 - Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity EP - 657 IS - 4 SP - 631 VL - 124 DO - 10.3764/aja.124.4.0631 ER -
@article{ author = "Ledger, Marissa L. and Rowan, Erica and Marques, Frances Gallart and Sigmier, John H. and Sarkić, Nataša and Redžić, Saša and Cahill, Nicholas D. and Mitchell, Piers D.", year = "2020", abstract = "While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman period, much of this work has been focused in northern Europe, with major gaps in the eastern empire. In order to further elucidate regional patterns in parasitic infection in the Roman empire, we looked for evidence for parasites in sites from Anatolia and the Balkans. Sediment samples from drains as well as coprolites were studied to find evidence for intestinal parasites in the Roman cities of Viminacium (Serbia) and Sardis (Turkey), and results were combined with previous work in these regions. Each sample was tested for preserved helminth (worm) eggs using microscopy and for intestinal protozoa that cause diarrhea, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our analysis revealed a predominance of species spread by the contamination of food and water by human feces, namely roundworm and whipworm. The identification of these parasites (which are linked to sanitation and hygiene) in Roman cities in Anatolia and the Balkans is contrasted with the range of zoonotic species found elsewhere in the empire. It appears that variations in cooking practices, diet, urbanization, and climate throughout the empire may have contributed to differences in gastrointestinal diseases in different regions.(1)", publisher = "Archaeological Inst America, Boston", journal = "American Journal of Archaeology", title = "Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity", pages = "657-631", number = "4", volume = "124", doi = "10.3764/aja.124.4.0631" }
Ledger, M. L., Rowan, E., Marques, F. G., Sigmier, J. H., Sarkić, N., Redžić, S., Cahill, N. D.,& Mitchell, P. D.. (2020). Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity. in American Journal of Archaeology Archaeological Inst America, Boston., 124(4), 631-657. https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.124.4.0631
Ledger ML, Rowan E, Marques FG, Sigmier JH, Sarkić N, Redžić S, Cahill ND, Mitchell PD. Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity. in American Journal of Archaeology. 2020;124(4):631-657. doi:10.3764/aja.124.4.0631 .
Ledger, Marissa L., Rowan, Erica, Marques, Frances Gallart, Sigmier, John H., Sarkić, Nataša, Redžić, Saša, Cahill, Nicholas D., Mitchell, Piers D., "Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity" in American Journal of Archaeology, 124, no. 4 (2020):631-657, https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.124.4.0631 . .