Eastern Roman mounted archers and extraordinary medico-surgical interventions at Paliokastro in Thasos Island during the ProtoByzantine period : : the historical and medical history records and the archaeo-anthropological evidence / / Anagnostis P. Agelarakis.

• Superior document: Archaeopress Archaeology
• VerfasserIn: Agelarakis, Anagnostis P.,
• Place / Publishing House: Oxford : : Archaeopress Publishing Ltd.,, [2020]; ©2020
• Year of Publication: 2020
• Language: English
• Series: Archaeopress archaeology.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (58 pages)

A recent archaeological discovery at Paliokastro (Thasos, Greece), and the subsequent study of the human skeletal remains interred in four monumental funerary contexts, provide for the first time through the archaeological record of the region a unique insight of the mounted archers and their female kin during the turbulent ProtoByzantine period.

Table of Contents

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Information -- Copyright Information -- Contents -- List of Figures and Tables -- Figure 1. Thasos island in a regional map of the Eastern Roman Empire, rendering by Argie Agelarakis. -- Figure 2. Map of Thasos island, with the location of its capital city Limenas, its villages and settlements, and the location of Paliokastro (see arrow) in the region of Rachoni village, rendering by Argie Agelarakis. -- Figure 3. Seaward view of Rachoni region and location of Paliokastro site. -- Figure 4. Field of view just above the olive groves of Rachoni village, at a lower elevation than the site of Paliokastro. -- Figure 5. Uncovering the slab stones from the graves within the naiskos' floor. -- Figure 6. The four graves within the naiskos' floor. -- Figure 7. North, long, wall of grave No. 2. -- Figure 8. Pessokranon, decorative architectural component of naiskos. -- Figure 9. Thasos archaeological Museum laboratory -- Adelphi student assistants during the skeletal analysis. -- Table 1. Basic archaeological proveniences and demographic profile of Paliokastro population sample. -- Figure 10. Anthropological remains in situ. -- Figure 11. Sample case on dental anthropology. -- Figure 12. Colles fracture healed, palaeopathological manifestations, and matters of skeletal preservation. -- Figure 13. Anterior view of bilateral tibial diaphyseal healed fractures. -- Figure 14. Length of tibial callus on its anterior crest. -- Figure 15. X-ray imaging of bilateral healed tibial fractures with corresponding loci of the skeletal samples. -- Figure 16. X-ray imaging of bilateral healed tibial fractures focusing on the right tibial callus formation. -- Figure 17. Degrees of bilateral tibial diaphyseal posterior angulation on the sagittal plane.

Figure 18. Active, in the healing process, and healed periosteal tibial diaphyseal reactions. -- Figure 19. Fibular diaphysis showing manifestations of infectious complications. -- Figure 20. Bilateral fibular diaphyseal infectious complications, with healed fracture locus (red arrows). -- Figure 21. Map of the northern Aegean shores and mainland regional to Thasos island [Excerpt from Weigel, C., (1720), Descriptio Orbis Antique, XLIV Tabulis, Graeciae Septentrionalis Pars, Nuremberg]: (1) Thasos island, (2) Ulpia Topirus (Topirus), (3) An -- Figure 22. Ectocranial left latero-posterior view of cranial component showing surgical intervention. -- Figure 23. Ectocranial view of palaeopathological specimen: a) red arrow points to orifice on the mastoid process, and b) surgical preparation dimensions peripheral to trephination. -- Figure 24. Cranial palaeopathological specimen with dimensions of two ectocranial loci showing surgical interventions. -- Figure 25. Cranial palaeopathological specimen showing surgical interventions, with dimensions of trephined locus. -- Figure 26. X-ray imaging of cranial palaeopathological specimen with samples of relevant identifiers. -- Figure 27. Close up endocranial view of cranial palaeopathological specimen. -- Figure 28. Right frontal bone fragment showing palaeopathological changes within the orbital roof. -- Introduction -- The archaeological site, finds, relative dating, project overview -- The anthropological record and aspects of burial practices -- Analysis of Anthropological Material -- Dental Anthropology -- Reconstructions of ante mortem kinetics indicative of habitual/occupational tasks -- Palaeopathology of trauma cases and the footprint of an experienced physician-surgeon -- Precedents in early Greek, and Roman medical history for the treatment on limb fractures.

Palaeopathological assessments of infectious complications -- About the physician-surgeon, the Ιητρείον, and the context of Paliokastro -- Taphonomy and Skeletal Preservation -- Paliokastro (the old fort) and the aim for the prosopography of its female and male riders -- Historical references on the Roman army and the ProtoByzantine mounted archer/lancer -- Mounted archers of Paliokastro -- Reflections on archery, and the type and capacity of bows and arrows used by the Roman mounted archer in battle versus these of the 'barbarian' enemies -- Historical references on Roman enemies and their invasions in the region of Thasos: Antae, Avars, Bulgars, Huns, Sclaveni, Kutrigurs -- Historical references on barbarian raids and their consequences in Thrace and Macedonia -- Towards a chronology of events for the harassment of Thasos by enemy incursions -- Archaeological evidence of catastrophic events in Thasos during the ProtoByzantine period -- Aiming towards concluding remarks on the ProtoByzantine 'Paliokastrétes' -- The case study of the Wounded Caballarius' head/neck pathology, the ways of the cranial surgery and trephination, and few palaeopathological reflections -- Acknowledgements.