Most Common Causes of Death In Ancient Rome and Greece

by Panzer
Living in ancient Greece and Rome
wasn't as glamorous as the myths and legends
would have us believe.
A lack of central plumbing, bacteria laden water supplies,
and insufficient medical knowledge
led to high mortality rates throughout antiquity
and beyond.
Today, heart disease, cancer, and old age
are the leading causes of death, but back then, things
were a little different.
With a life expectancy of only 20 to 33 years,
it's no surprise life was a bit uncertain during ancient times.
So today, we're looking at the most common causes of death
in ancient Greece and Rome.
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OK, let's check out what ancient killers would take you out.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Movies about Greek and Roman times
tend to focus on men having heroic adventures or gladiators
being pitted against all odds in battle.
But the reality of death in the ancient world
affected women and children the most.
The biggest killer of them all, having a kid.
Yeah, not only a killer to your social life, but also
your life, life.
Poor sanitation and a lack of knowledge about microorganisms
often led to high infant mortality rates
in ancient Greece and Rome.
Medical practices were centered on having an experienced
midwife, medicinal herbs, and making offerings or prayers
to the gods.
Very little written evidence regarding childbirth death
rates survives from the period.
Researchers estimate death rates from Greece and Rome
at being comparable to those of 18th century
rural England, where maternal mortality rates hovered