The Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43 led to a lasting decline in population health, especially in urban areas, according to a new study of ancient skeletons. Researchers found higher rates of bone abnormalities and nutritional deficiencies among people in Roman towns compared to the Iron Age. These effects persisted for generations due to diseases, social inequalities, and poor living conditions.
A study published in Antiquity reveals that the Roman occupation of Britain, beginning in AD 43, negatively impacted the health of local populations, particularly in urban centers. Rebecca Pitt at the University of Reading analyzed 646 skeletons from 24 sites across south and central England. These included 372 children under 3.5 years old and 274 adult females aged 18 to 45, spanning from four centuries before the Roman arrival to the fourth century AD, when they withdrew.
Pitt examined bones and teeth for signs of disease and malnutrition, using X-rays to detect developmental changes from vitamin C and D deficiencies. The findings showed stark differences: 81 percent of urban Roman adults had bone abnormalities, compared to 62 percent in the Iron Age. For children, the rates were 26 percent in the Iron Age, 41 percent in rural Roman settlements, and 61 percent in urban sites like Venta Belgarum (modern Winchester) and Corinium Dobunnorum (Cirencester).
Rickets, caused by insufficient vitamin D from sunlight, was especially common among urban children. Pitt attributes these issues to diseases introduced by the Romans, class divides that limited resource access, and overcrowded, polluted conditions in new infrastructure. “Environmental exposures during critical periods of early development can have lasting effects on an individual’s health,” she explained, noting how maternal health influences offspring.
Experts like Martin Millett of the University of Cambridge suggest the urban effect might reflect growing inequality between rich and poor under Roman rule, rather than just city density. Richard Madgwick of Cardiff University agrees that benefits like improved sanitation did not reach everyone equally. “The reality is that not everyone benefited and it took a little while to trickle down to the different elements of society,” he said. Pitt added a personal note: “My dad always jokes about The Life of Brian, but the Romans had quite a negative impact on our health, which affected quite a few generations.”
This research challenges the notion of Roman civilization as wholly beneficial, highlighting generational health burdens in conquered territories.
