Our study explores the potential relationship between infant feeding practices and settlement complexity in the Roman Empire through high-resolution Bayesian-modeled stable isotope measurements from incremental dentine. We compiled isotopic data from permanent first molars of individuals from various Roman sites: five from Bainesse (UK), 30 from Thessaloniki (Greece), along with new carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses from four individuals from Pompeii and six from Ostia Via del Mare (AVM). Our results reveal significant inter-site variability in breastfeeding durations, ranging from 1.5 years to approximately 5 years. Notably, individuals from the highly complex urban centers of Pompeii and Thessaloniki ceased breastfeeding around or below the 2-year weaning threshold recommended by Roman physicians. In contrast, individuals from the rural site of Ostia AVM and the site of Bainesse, near the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, generally ceased breastfeeding after 2 years of age. The link between settlement complexity and duration of breastfeeding observed in our study may have resulted from adherence to medical guidelines, support infrastructures, and/or strategies to mitigate financial constraints within households.

• Keywords
• Bayesian modeling, Roman Empire, incremental dentine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis, infant feeding practices, settlement complexification,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

We present Isotòpia, an open-access database compiling over 36,000 stable isotope measurements (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr, 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb, 208Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/206Pb, and 208Pb/206Pb) on human, animal, and plant bioarchaeological remains dating to Classical Antiquity (approximately 800 BCE - 500 CE). These were recovered from different European regions, particularly from the Mediterranean. Isotòpia provides a comprehensive characterisation of the isotopic data, encompassing various historical, archaeological, biological, and environmental variables. Isotòpia is a resource for meta-analytical research of past human activities and paleoenvironments. The database highlights data gaps in isotopic classical archaeology, such as the limited number of isotopic measurements available for plants and animals, limited number of studies on spatial mobility, and spatial heterogeneity of isotopic research. As such, we emphasise the necessity to address and fill these gaps in order to unlock the reuse potential of this database.

• MeSH
• Archaeology * MeSH
• Databases, Factual * MeSH
• History, Ancient MeSH
• Isotopes * analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Plants * chemistry   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, Ancient MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Isotopes * MeSH

Stable isotope analysis of teeth and bones is regularly applied by archeologists and paleoanthropologists seeking to reconstruct diets, ecologies, and environments of past hominin populations. Moving beyond the now prevalent study of stable isotope ratios from bulk materials, researchers are increasingly turning to stable isotope ratios of individual amino acids to obtain more detailed and robust insights into trophic level and resource use. In the present article, we provide a guide on how to best use amino acid stable isotope ratios to determine hominin dietary behaviors and ecologies, past and present. We highlight existing uncertainties of interpretation and the methodological developments required to ensure good practice. In doing so, we hope to make this promising approach more broadly accessible to researchers at a variety of career stages and from a variety of methodological and academic backgrounds who seek to delve into new depths in the study of dietary composition.

• Keywords
• Isotope fingerprinting, archeology, human nutrition, paleoecology, trophic ecology,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH