US EditionRoman soldiers defending Hadrian’s Wall infected by parasites, study finds
Research found 28% of latrine samples contained parasite eggs, revealing infections likely caused malnutrition and reduced Roman soldiers’ fitness at Vindolanda.
- Sediment analysis of a nine-metre drain at Vindolanda found evidence of roundworm, whipworm, and Giardia duodenalis, marking the first record of Giardia in Roman Britain, according to researchers from Cambridge and Oxford.
- Despite impressive water technology, Vindolanda's bathhouse drainage and spring water failed to stop parasites spreading via fecal-oral transmission, and Roman medical practitioners and treatments could not clear infections.
- Using ELISA and microscopy, researchers tested 50 sediment samples from the nine-metre latrine drain at the third-century bath complex, finding 28% with helminth eggs and one positive for Giardia via biomolecular techniques.
- The historical record from Vindolanda mentions ten men unfit for duty, supporting Dr Marissa Ledger's view that parasites could cause malnutrition and diarrhoea, while Dr Piers Mitchell said, `Untreated giardiasis can drag on for weeks, causing dramatic fatigue and weight loss.`
- These results challenge Roman hygiene narratives by showing Vindolanda had fewer parasites than London and York, yet infections persisted, as Dr Andrew Birley says this deepens understanding of hardships nearly 2,000 years ago.
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11 Articles
Finds from the castle of Vindolanda near the Hadrianswall in England show that the Romans had to fight with parasites. Experts assume that this even led to a loss of fighting power.
The analysis of sediments extracted from a drainage system near the baths of the Roman fortress of Vindolanda, in northern England, revealed that soldiers stationed at that point in the Roman Empire suffered recurrent diarrhea and abdominal pain.The research, developed by specialists from the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, was based on material collected from channels carrying waste from a community latrine to a stream near the archaeolog…
Roman soldiers in northern England suffered not only from the cold and mud: serious stomach problems were likely common as well. Researchers examined ancient sludge from a sewer drain belonging to a communal latrine at a third-century AD spa. These were part of the Vindolanda fort. […] Want to learn more about science? Read the latest articles on Scientias.nl.
Not just cold and conflict: Roman troops at Hadrian’s Wall battled parasites
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Roman soldiers stationed on the edge of the empire faced more than cold winds, enemy raids, and homesickness. New research shows that many of them were also battling painful intestinal parasites that likely weakened their health and made daily life far more miserable. A recent study of ancient sewer drains at […] The post Not just cold and conflict: Roman troops at Hadrian’s Wall battled parasites appeared first on Knowri…
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