[The handicapped children in Rome: current studies and perspectives]

Area of Science:

• Historical Anthropology
• Classical Studies
• Medical Humanities

Context:

• Roman societal norms and perceptions of physical differences.
• The historical understanding of disability and deviance.
• Analysis of literary, medical, and juridical texts from Roman times.

Purpose:

• To investigate the evolving meaning of 'handicap' and 'monstrum' in the Roman era.
• To scrutinize the specific case of Emperor Claudius in relation to these concepts.
• To establish the necessity of interdisciplinary analysis for understanding historical concepts of difference.

Summary:

• The research examines the semantic evolution of 'handicap' and 'monstrum' within Roman society.
• It analyzes various textual sources alongside visual and skeletal evidence.
• The case of Emperor Claudius is presented as a focal point for this historical inquiry.

Impact:

• Provides a nuanced understanding of how Roman society perceived and categorized physical anomalies.
• Highlights the importance of integrating diverse evidence types (textual, visual, osteological) in historical research.
• Contributes to the broader discourse on the history of disability and societal attitudes towards difference.