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Were the Roman Emperors Claudius and Vitellius bulimic?
Author(s) -
Crichton Paul
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199603)19:2<203::aid-eat11>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - roman empire , latin americans , empire , history , classics , literature , psychology , ancient history , art , political science , law
Objective to investigate the eating habits of Romans during the first two centuries A.D. and their attitudes towards these eating habits in the light of contemporary Latin literary and historical sources and influential Greek medical sources. Method: An extensive search of sources on the Roman Empire and emperors in the first two centuries A.D. was carried out. Two historical cases of binging and self‐induced vomiting, namely the Emperors Claudius and Vitellius, were identified and described in translated extracts from the original Latin source. Discussion: It is noted that cultural and social factors are important influences on eating habits which would now be considered pathological. © 1996 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.