One of the more interesting theories which seeks to explain at least some
part of
The Fall of the Roman Empire is the lead poisoning theory.
Lead
poisoning, or
Saturnine Gout.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, gout was considered to be symbolic of a
wealthy, aristocratic lifestyle - a fact which is attested to by the
literature of the time. Roman literature reflects a similar view. First
mentioned by Hippocrates as a disease which appeared to be caused by rich
foods and wines, Seneca viewed gout as an example of the depravity of the
age in which he lived in. Other authors such as Virgil, Ovid, Martial
and Athenaeus used gout as a target of their satire. Galen is said to
have coined the aphorism
"Gout is the daughter of Bacchus and
Venus"
In Roman literature a strong link is therefore made
between gout and rich foods and
alcohol.
Roman
wines were enhanced by a grape syrup which improved the
color,
sweetness and preservation of the wine, often called
sapa or
defratum.
Sapa, by tradition of the time, was
to be simmered slowly in a
lead lined pot or kettle. The
sapa was then mixed in to the wine at the concentration of between
250 and 1000
Milligram per
liter - an enormous amount considering
only one
teaspoon of
sapa would have been enough to cause chronic
lead poisoning.
The average consumption of wine in ancient
Rome was between 1 to 5 liters
per day. This, in combination of the effects of the lead water pipes, and
the use of
sapa in other recipes to replace sugar, results in a
conservative estimate of about lead consumption, per day, of at least
250µg, in comparision of with the
World Health Organization's maximum
recommendation of 45µg per day.
The psychological profiles that we have of the emperors, hyperbole
aside, anecodotally describe a great deal of potential lead poisoning.
Claudius is the most likely candidate for lead-poisoning. He suffered
disturbed speech, weak limbs, fits of excessive inappropriate laughter and he
often slobbered. He suffered recurring attacks of stomachache which
reportedly could drive him to the brink of suicide. Not only this, but
Claudius was a known alcoholic, even by Roman standards.
Tiberius, Caligula, Galba, Nero, Nerva and almost all of the
late-Empire emperors were known to be both heavy drinkers and suffer
gout-like symptoms. Elagabalus in particular was a huge pleasure seeking
emperor, with enormous banquets, exotic dishes and blended wines. His
alcohol consumption was so legendary that he was his contemporaries thought
he have been drinking from a swimming pool. He was also, no doubt due to lead poisoning, mentally impaired.
It is therefore clear that a great deal of lead-poisoning and ensuing lack
of mental health that was common in the Roman Empire. Gout would not have
affected only the Emperors, but any wealthy Romans, including those in
important decision making areas, including those who would serve in the
military. While a direct causal link is not available between lead-poisoning
and the inability to make good decisions regarding the fate of the Empire
due to the lack of hard evidence, it is clear that lead-poisoning was
certainly a factor in at least its moral decline, if not leaving it more
internally vulnerable.
- Jerome O. Nriagu. "Saturnine Gout amoung Roman Aristocrats" New
England Journal of Medicine. March (1985): 660-3