[The death of emperor Valentine I in the descriptions of Ammianus Marcellinus and other authors].
The history of neurology, especially before 1800, has been treated almost completely as "literary history". Most interest centred around the works of famous physicians and their writings. Especially in the classical era, non-medical testimonies have received little attention. This makes it a particularly pleasant surprise for a medical histroical in search of such material to come across a description of a "neurological illness" in a history book from ancient times. 'Rerum gestarum libri' by Ammianus Marcellinus, the last Roman historiographer of note, gives a fairly descriptive account of the fatal illness of Emperor Valentine I (30, 6, 1-6). Valentine was suddenly taken ill with apoplectiform symptoms during a campaign in Pannonia in 375 AD. He died few hours later, despite the attempts of a physician quickly brought to the scene. The account of Ammianus Marcellinus combines literary features with a clear interpretation of medical symptoms according to contemporary doctrines. This description was later to become a model for non medical references and commentaries dealing with this "famous case", written by Christian authors including Orosius, St. Jerome, Socrates and the pagan historian Zosimos.A retrospective diagnosis of Valentine's last disease is difficult. It is impossible to prove that he really died from a stroke. Death by infectious disease might also be supposed. Finally, similar symptoms can be found in the case of the Emperor Claudius, who was poisoned by his last spouse in Agrippina in 54 AD. Our study is an attempt to analyse this very important case report from a medical, historical and cultural perspective, thus contributing to the historiography of "neurology in the ancient world".
Moog
Ferdinand Peter
FP
Karenberg
Axel
A
D002423:Cause of Death; D006663:Historiography; D049690:History, Ancient; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000266:history*; D009462:Neurology / Q000266:history*; D012384:Rome