Breastfeeding and Weaning in Roman Thessaloniki. An Investigation of Infant Diet based on Incremental Analysis of Human Dentine

In the present study, we report isotope (delta N-15, delta C-13) measurements on dentine increments from first permanent molars, to investigate breastfeeding practices in Thessaloniki, a provincial capital of the Roman Empire in northern Greece (168 BC-324 AD). For this purpose, we reconstructed diets from birth to seven yoa and estimated weaning ages for 20 individuals. We compared the individuals in relation to their biological sex and investigated diet during three distinct phases i.e. breastfeeding, weaning and fully weaned. The results of our study show a general trend in breastfeeding duration (mean weaning age: two yoa) for seventeen individuals and no breastfeeding for three male individuals. Moreover, males (n = 10) were fully weaned approximately six months earlier than females (n = 10). The weaning diet consisted mainly of terrestrial sources (C-3 and C-4 plants, animals/animal-byproducts) or small fish. Our observations are in accordance with ancient texts (e.g. Gynaecology of Soranus) and other isotopic studies on Roman period datasets highlighting the pivotal role of Thessaloniki as a cultural hub of the Empire.