In the year 79 AD. C., the eruption of Vesuvius devastated the Roman city of Herculaneum in a matter of minutes. Its inhabitants were trapped under a lethal mix of gases, ash and debris, frozen in time in a scene of catastrophe. What no one could imagine then is that, almost two thousand years later, his intestines would continue telling stories.
A new paleoparasitological study has analyzed the pelvic remains of more than 40 individuals found in the ancient coastal shelters of Herculaneumrevealing the presence of intestinal parasites that inhabited their bodies at the time of the eruption. The research offers a microscopic window into the past: it shows how Romans lived, ate and got sick in a prosperous port city of the Empire.
A laboratory under the ashes
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The skeletons come from a set of vaulted seaside retreatswhere dozens of people sought protection as the volcanic cloud descended on the city. Its exceptional conservation allowed researchers to recover sedimentary samples from the pelvic regionin many cases with partially fossilized organic material.
The team collected specimens of 48 individualsand subjected them to microscopic and molecular analyzes to detect the presence of parasite eggs. The result was unequivocal: “Intestinal helminth eggs were detected in 67% of the individuals analyzed” This suggests that Intestinal infection was common in the population of Herculaneumregardless of age or sex.
Four parasites, one vulnerable city
The researchers identified four types of intestinal parasites: Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (intestinal worm), Diphyllobothrium (fish had) and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (protozoan that causes dysentery).
The first two are transmitted by fecal contamination of water or foodindicating inadequate sanitation conditions even in an urban city of the Empire. The presence of Entamoeba reinforces this idea: the protozoan produces pictures of acute, life-threatening diarrheawhich especially affect malnourished people.
Even more surprising is the discovery of eggs of Diphyllobothriuma tapeworm that is contracted by consuming raw or undercooked fish. This suggests that at least part of the population of Herculaneum consumed undercooked marine fishwhich fits with its location as a port city in contact with multiple trade routes.
Eating well was not always safe eating
Herculaneum was a prosperous city, with access to fresh produce, maritime trade and houses with private latrines. However, the study shows that this did not guarantee infection-free intestinal health. Fecal-oral transmission was still active, probably because wastewater was dumped into the sea or reused as fertilizer.
According to the authors, “The high prevalence of helminths such as Trichuris and Ascaris suggests constant and widespread exposure to contaminated human waste.“This points to a structural failure in sanitation systems, beyond the visible luxury of many homes.
The discovery of the fish tapeworm adds another nuance: it indicates that The diet could be diverse, but also riskyespecially in contexts where cooking was not complete or the fish was prepared in a smoked or salted way, techniques that do not eliminate the parasite eggs.
Human remains as a collective health archive
Unlike other studies based on latrines or urban soils, this work focuses on concrete skeletonsallowing infections to be linked to specific individuals. Most of the parasites were detected in adults, but they were also found in at least three young children.
The exceptional conservation is due to the rapid coverage of volcanic ash and high temperatures that They sealed the environment in a matter of hoursprotecting organic material from decomposition. Thanks to this, the researchers were even able to identify remains of muscle fibers, soft tissues and partial intestinal contents in some individuals.
This type of rare preservation makes Herculaneum a unique case for paleoparasitology, and allows compare real health data in a Roman population right at the time of their death.
Parasites that survived the eruption
The Herculaneum findings not only speak of diseases, but also of mobility, trade and daily life in the Roman Empire. The parasites found are common in temperate climates and are transmitted through common practices such as agriculture, cooking or hygiene.
The researchers emphasize that these results “They add an important layer to the knowledge about public health in Roman cities, and allow us to explore regional differences through direct biological data.” .
In other words, the tragedy of Herculaneum has also left an unexpected scientific legacy: the possibility of studying the biological vulnerability of an advanced societywhose infrastructure could not prevent parasites from coexisting with the splendor of its mosaics.
References
- Giovanna Da Vela, Silvia Soncin, Roger Dimo-Simonin, Chiara Villa, Silvia Aneli, Gloria Gonzalez Fortes, Francesco Sirano, Pier Francesco Fabbri. Intestinal parasites in Roman-era individuals that perished during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Herculaneum, Italy. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases2024.