Research Suggests Links Between Settlement Complexity and Infant Feeding Practices in the Roman Empire

January 14, 2025

The Roman Empire (c. 1st century BCE - 5th century CE) was home to multiple cultures and populations. While Roman medical texts provided guidelines on infant weaning, they primarily targeted the elite, leaving many across the empire unaware of these recommendations. A recent study published in PNAS Nexus and led by an international team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (Germany) and the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” (Italy) in collaboration with the Parco Archeologico di Pompei, Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica, and Sapienza University of Rome, has shed new light on infant weaning practices across the Roman Empire, revealing intriguing differences that potentially reflect the impact of settlement complexity on breastfeeding durations.

The study utilized high-resolution measurements of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes from dentine samples of adult human molars, alongside advanced Bayesian modelling techniques. The aim was to accurately reconstruct early childhood diets and weaning ages within different Roman communities, including the city of Pompeii and the rural area of Ostia in Italy, the urban site of Thessaloniki in Greece, and the civilian settlement of Bainesse in a highly militarised northern England.

Their findings suggest that infants in urban centres such as Pompeii and Thessaloniki were more likely weaned before or around the age of two (Figure 1), consistent with Roman medical advice of the time. In contrast, infants in less urbanized areas such as rural Ostia (site AVM) and the settlement of Bainesse mostly appear to be breastfed for longer periods.

While also exploring other explanations, the study proposes a new hypothesis by drawing a potential link between the complexity of a settlement and its adherence to medical guidelines. Urban environments facilitated broader dissemination and acceptance of medical information. Meanwhile, financial constraints and traditional knowledge transmission in non-urban settlements may have resulted in extended breastfeeding durations.

These findings draw parallels with modern public health trends observed between urban and rural areas. This research paves the way for further investigation into the cultural and environmental factors influencing ancient and modern infant feeding practices. Expanding this research avenue could confirm the observed patterns across a wider geographical and historical scope, enhancing our understanding of health dynamics in ancient civilizations.

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