Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoc Fellowship: Exploring the Relationship between Climate, Environment and Health in Antiquity through the Papyri from Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Egypt
Today, an increasing number of studies show that extreme climate fluctuations –primarily driven by anthropogenic emissions– and pollution have severe effects on health, causing, among others, increased mortality associated to heatwaves and a rise in respiratory diseases linked to air pollution. While the current level of human-induced pollution and its threat to health is unprecedented, ancient authors were already aware of certain forms of pollution and recognized links between a region’s climate, the quality of the environment, and health.
At the centre of this project are texts written on papyrus, ostraca, and parchment from Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Egypt (third century BCE – seventh century CE). As first-hand accounts of life in antiquity, these texts offer a unique source for examining various aspects of ancient history, culture, and society. Many of them, especially documents and medical writings, describe features of the Egyptian climate and environment, weather fluctuations, polluting activities, and health conditions related to environmental and climatic factors, which will be studied comprehensively within the framework of this project. More specifically, the project aims to investigate the impact of human activities on the Egyptian environment, the effects of climate variability and pollution on the health of Egypt’s inhabitants, and the population’s degree of awareness regarding environmental issues and their health consequences.
The project is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (Global Fellowship) funded by the European Commission. During the first two years (outgoing phase), research will be carried out at the Department of Ancient Civilizations in the framework of the Basel Climate Science and Ancient History Lab, led by Prof. Sabine Huebner. The return phase will take place at the Università degli Studi di Udine.