Myopic Romans

[Sean Manning]

I often wonder if the need for vision aids developed with the increasing ability amongst the ordinary folk to read..rushlight and candlelight and later lanterns probably caused many a squint to develop...

Wasn't it customary in the ancient world to read by sunlight? The Romans had an actual verb, something like elucibrare, for the unusual act of doing work after sunset! I suspct that was one reason that the Romans considered reading for pleasure to be a country activity- less smoke and shade from buildings.

I suspect problems would have developed in late medieval and early modern Europe as people started trying to read after work, though. Medieval university students may have had trouble as well.

Evidence for lenses and other vision aids in the ancient world is an interesting subject, but not one I have investigated much myself.

[Dan Diffendale]

I do recall a Roman general comitting suicide? when seeing what he thought were the enemy calvery approaching, only for it to turn out to be his own returning to headquarters! Can't remember the actual details, but this could point to his being a little shortsighted!

That would be Cassius, as reported by Plutarch in Life of Antony and immortalized by Shakespeare in Julius Caesar.

"But Antony, on the other hand, defeated Cassius; though some have written that he was not actually present in the engagement, and only joined afterwards in the pursuit. Cassius was killed, at his own entreaty and order, by one of his most trusted freedmen, Pindarus, not being aware of Brutus's victory" (Plutarch).

[GaiusAquiliusBritannicus]

I'm not sure we can speculate that as Cicero's eyesight began to fail that he would have taken up the use of 'glasses' if such existed at the time.

There is, afterall, the oddly consistant and very historical precidence of male stubborness! :lol:

My grandfather began to lose his hearing after WW2, but refused to purchase hearing aids until very late in life. Even then, most of the time he refused to turn them on. He saw it as a sign of weakness.

I'm sure most "true romans" would also shun any outward signs of weakness, as well. Slaves were common and accepted...I'm not so sure spectacles would have been given children still taunt other children as "four eyes".

Not saying that they existed in Rome, just pointing out that pride often trumps necessity.

Cheers all,

Britannicus