High-resolution dietary reconstruction of victims of the 79 CE Vesuvius eruption at Herculaneum by compound-specific isotope analysis

A groundbreaking study reveals significant gender-based differences in diet among victims of the 79 CE Vesuvius eruption at Herculaneum, offering unprecedented insights into ancient Roman society. By analyzing stable isotope values of amino acids from bone collagen using Bayesian models, researchers reconstructed the diets of 17 adults with high precision. The findings indicate that males and females had differential access to marine and terrestrial foods, challenging historical assumptions about food distribution in Roman communities. This method also provides a benchmark for comparing ancient diets to modern populations, potentially shedding light on health implications.

Soncin, S., Talbot, H. M., Fernandes, R., Harris, A., von Tersch, M., Robson, H. K., Bakker, J. K., Richter, K. K., Alexander, M., Ellis, S., Thompson, G., Amoretti, V., Osanna, M., Caso, M., Sirano, F., Fattore, L., Colonese, A. C., Garnsey, P., Bondioli, L., & Craig, O. E. (2021). High-resolution dietary reconstruction of victims of the 79 CE Vesuvius eruption at Herculaneum by compound-specific isotope analysis. Science Advances, 7(35). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abg5791