Health and Disease in Byzantine Greece: A Dental Analysis of the Temple of Ismenion Apollo, Thebes

Abstract

Through a dental analysis, this study aimed to develop an understanding of the demography and health of the population at the archaeological site of Ismenion Hill, Thebes, Greece, dating to the early years of the Byzantine period (416-537 AD). Population demography was examined by determining the number of individuals present and their ages-at-death. It was suggested that 210 people were buried at Ismenion Hill and 60% of the population were nonadults. Further, diet was evaluated through the prevalence of dental calculus and caries, which suggested the population relied more heavily on plant food than meat, and that they possibly practiced a mix subsistence custom of both hunter-gatherer and agriculturalism. Overall health was explored through the presence of linear enamel hypoplasia, which indicated a possible stress period during weaning. Additionally, this study aimed to investigate any signs of leprosy on the dental remains, as previous assessments have indicated multiple individuals suffered from the disease (Liston 2017). It was proposed that four individuals had dental traits characteristic of leprosy. Ultimately, this research demonstrated the wealth of information generated from a dental analysis and deepened our understanding of the lifeways of the population at Ismenion Hill.