Revue Md. Vt., 2014, 165, 3-4, 77-88

PALAEOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF CATTLE AND HORSE OF SIRMIUM 77

Introduction

After the publication of the well-known Animal Diseases in Archaeology by Baker and Brothwell in 1980s, animal paleopathology experienced great improvement. However, in some countries, such as Serbia, this scientific discipline is relatively unknown. Paleopathology in general can help us gather more data on health [3, 16, 17, 22, 31, 36, 43, 47, 49, 56, 75, 76, 78], ways of living and the relationships between humans and animals, as well as the history of some diseases [24, 48, 59, 73, 74]. In literature different diagnoses for the same pathological changes can be noticed. Similar observations have been given by archaeozoologist [29], who claim that can be the main reason for the misinterpretation of pathological changes in the bones. Research in animal paleopathology is limited to individual archaeological sites [14, 25, 29, 37, 61, 63] or several sites from different periods [33, 71]. However, our idea was to perform paleopathological analysis of animal remains from several sites of the ancient

city of Sirmium, which is a valuable archaeological location in Serbia and beyond.

It is clear, that pathological changes in domestic animals are in close relations with its use [5, 8, 9, 10, 19]. The cultural practices of communities have a significant role for understanding and interpretation of archaeozoological findings. In other words archaeozoological discoveries must be placed in their sociocultural context eg. the presence of a hippodrome in a Roman city means that the analysis of horse remains should take this fact into account.

Because of the relatively large number of Roman works

about agriculture and animal husbandry, the knowledge about animal use is quite extensive. According to Roman authors Columella (De re rustica 2.2.1.5; 2.2.24; 6.22.1), Varro (Res rusticae 1.20.2, 45) and Cato (De agricultura 11.2.4; 14.2; 62), cattle, especially oxen, were used as draught animals in agriculture [60]. Same authors wrote about horses having been used in the military, their care from

SUMMARY

This paper considers the observation of pathological changes in animal skeletal remains from four archaeological sites in Sirmium and one rustic villa (Vranj) located near the city. Before the pathological analysis, skeletal elements, as well as insight of taxonomic and age of animals were determined. 13599 bones or bone fragments were examined. In 72 specimens various abnormal changes have been observed. Most of the pathological changes were present in skeletal remains of cattle and horses. Macroscopic and radiographic analysis of pathological changes in the animal bones established that the lesions had proliferative and chronic character. Proliferative changes in the bones of cattle and horses indicate that these animals were used as draught animals and/or carrying cargo. Considering that most of the horses skeletal remains are from the Hippodrome, it is very possible that they were animals for amusement purposes in ancient city of Sirmium.

Keywords: Archaeozoology, Paleopathology, Roman City Sirmium, cattle (Bos taurus), horse (Equus caballus)

RSUM

Etude palopathologique des ossements de bovins et de chevaux de la ville antique de Sirmium (Pannonie / Serbie)

Cet article traite des altrations pathologiques observes sur les restes de squelettes danimaux provenant de quatre sites archologiques de Sirmium (Pannonie / Serbie) et dune villa rustique (Vranj) situe prs de cette ville. Avant den faire lanalyse pathologique, une diagnose despce et dge des lments de squelettes a t ralise. 13599 os et fragments ont t xamins. Sur 72 spcimens des anomalies osseuses ont t remarques. La plupart de ces affections osseuses ont t observes parmi les restes de squelettes de btail et de chevaux. Le caractre prolifratif et chronique des lsions a t montr par des examens macroscopiques et radiographiques des os. Ces modifications osseuses du squelette des bovins et des chevaux indiquent que les animaux ont t utiliss pour traction. La majorit des restes de squelettes ont t retrouvs l hippodrome de Sirmium, cest pourquoi lhypothse que ces animaux aient pu tre utiliss pour le sport est possible.

Mots cls : Archozoologie, Palopathologie, Ville Romaine Sirmium, Btail (Bos taurus), Cheval (Equus caballus)

Palaeopathological study of Cattle and Horse bone remains of the Ancient Roman city of Sirmium (Pannonia / Serbia)

N. MARKOVI*, O. STEVANOVI, V. NEI, D. MARINKOVI, N. KRSTI, D. NEDELJKOVI, D. RADMANOVI4, M. JANECZEK5

Institute of Archaeology, Knez Mihailova 34/IV, 11000, Belgrade, SERBIA.Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar osloboenja 18, 11000, Belgrade, SERBIA.Museum of Srem, Vuka Karadia 3, 22000, Sremska Mitrovica, SERBIA.4Museum of Vojvodina, Dunavska 35, 21000, Novi Sad, SERBIA. 5Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wrocaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kozuchowska 1/3, 51-631 Wrocaw, POLAND.

*Corresponding author: nemamarkovic@gmail.com

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MARKOVI (N.) AND COLLABORATORS78

the veterinary perspective, their breeding and use in the chariot racing [44]. The special Roman hippiatric writings by Apsyrtos, Theomnest, Anatolis and others are well known. Above mentioned ancient authors described the great number of various diseases symptoms and healings methods, too [1, 2, 27]. In the Roman Empire horses were used very wide eg. riding, cavalry and chariot racing. Post service (cursus publicus) depended upon horses and mules. The horse veterinarians in Roman army had a large importance including status immunes. Taruttienus Paternus praetorian prefect (parefectus praetorio) wrote about animal hospital (veterinarium) in legionary camp [23, 35]. From the other hand, veterinarians in cursus publicus were slaves.

The aim of this study was to determine the type and age of the animal remains on which paleopathological changes were found, with emphasis on cattle (Bos taurus) and horses (Equus caballus); presence of bones and / or fragments with the changes of the examined bone material; types and localization of the changes in the bones of cattle and horses; possible changes in the etiology of changes and hypotheses about how these animals was used in Sirmium.

Archaeological background

SIRMIUM

Sirmium was the capital of the province of Pannonia Secunda in Late Antiquity. The city was located alongside the ancient road that connected the eastern and western provinces of the Roman Empire (fig. 1). Strategic location of Sirmium enabled its rapid development from a military camp into an imperial city [53].

The history of Sirmium can be traced from the time of Augustus conquering of Illyria (3533 BC) up to 582 AD when the Avars completely destroyed the city. The Romans conquered Sirmium in time of Tiberius wars in Pannonia (139 BC). During the Flavia dynasty Sirmium acquired the

status of a colony (Colonia Flavia). During the Tetrarchy, in year 293, Sirmium became one of the capitals of the Roman Empire (fig. 2).

The space occupied by the ancient city was successively colonized for a long time, changing from a medieval village built around the remains of the late antique basilica, in the medieval town Dmitrovica. At the same place the town of Sremska Mitrovica is located today [55].

Systematic archaeological excavations in Sirmium began in 1957. The Regional Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments of Novi Sad has led research work to Sirmium in 1962 when the Archaeological Institute in Belgrade took over the researching work. During the period from 1968 to 1972 the archaeological excavations were performed at the participating experts the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, Denison University, Ohio and the City University of New York [54].

The Museum of Srem and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Sremska Mitrovica had an important role in the research from the very beginning. During the period between 1957 and 2013 on the territory of Sirmium, todays Sremska Mitrovica and its surroundings, over a hundred sites have been investigated, but the archaeozoological material was only regularly or systematically collected from 1996 onwards.

SITE 1A IMPERIAL PALACE

The most important architectural complex in Sirmium was the Imperial Palace, built between the end of the III and the beginning of the IV century. A.D. This complex building was situated in the southern part of the ancient city, close to its south wall and bank of the Sava river. The first rescue excavations, carried out between 1957 and 1960 were the first archaeological research of the ancient Sirmium, marked as site 1a. After a thirty-year break, during 2006 and 2007 the excavations of the Palace continued, at the moment when it was opened for visitors [62].

Figure 1: Map of the provinces of Moesia Prima and Pannonia Secunda in the IVc. AD

Figure 2: Sirmium during 4th century ideal reconstruction (Jeremi 2004: 11, fig.12)

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SITE 66 HIPPODROME

Hippodrome was built in the early IV century as the monumental structure of the Sirmium, primarily designed for chariot races. This complex was positioned close to the Imperial Palace, oriented SE-NW, which deviates from the usual orientation of an ancient hippodrome, the function loses at the end of the IV century, and later used for accommodation of military units [39, 52]. The skeletons of animals were not systematically collected. A large number of bones between hippodrome walls and spaces below the auditorium have been observed [46, 64].

SITE 80

Locality 80 is situated near th