Parasites plagued Roman soldiers at Hadrian’s Wall
Ars Technica••health
Key Points:
- A new study analyzing sediment from sewer drains at the Roman fort Vindolanda near Hadrian’s Wall reveals that Roman soldiers likely suffered from intestinal parasites such as roundworms, whipworms, and Giardia duodenalis, causing chronic nausea, diarrhea, and malnutrition.
- Despite having communal latrines and sewer systems, poor sanitation led to widespread parasitic infections among soldiers, which would have weakened their health and reduced their fitness for duty.
- Vindolanda’s exceptional preservation allowed researchers to collect and analyze 58 sediment samples from latrine waste and bathhouse drains, with 28% containing parasite eggs, confirming persistent gastrointestinal diseases in Roman military populations on the northern frontier.
- This research builds on previous paleoparasitology studies that used
