![]() Let's discover it all together! 1) Julius Caesar and CleopatraĬleopatra and Julius Caesar undeniably marked their times. The relationship they had and its consequences for Egypt.The relationship of Cleopatra and Caesar is also a symbol of the special link in ancient times uniting two ancient powerful nations, Egypt and Rome. Julius Caesar enabled Cleopatra's accession to the throne of Egypt, through his actions, but also through his death. Without access to modern scientific tools (like EEGs and MRIs) to diagnose him, or detailed descriptions of his possible seizures, no historian can be sure.Īll the same, it is interesting to speculate about Julius Caesar and epilepsy.Do you want to understand the links between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra? Unravel the mysteries of their relationship? Understand how Julius Caesar contributed to the reform of ancient Egypt? We will probably never really know whether or not Julius Caesar had epilepsy. Indeed, he may well have believed this himself. Some historians have argued that Caesar may have encouraged people to believe he did have epilepsy because it might have made him seem more God-like. In the ancient world, epilepsy was described as the ‘sacred disease’, and it was associated with divine possession. Researchers who have analyzed the descriptions of Caesar’s apparent seizures argue that it is more likely that he was having mini strokes as he got older.Īnother problem with the Julius Caesar epilepsy hypothesis is that while Roman writers described him as having epilepsy, they had a very different understanding of the condition to modern medical ideas. Epilepsy symptoms most often begin in childhood (although you can of course develop epilepsy anytime in life). One issue is the fact that Julius Caesar’s seizures seemed to have started later in his life. While the above evidence seems to suggest that Julius Caesar did indeed have a seizure disorder, many historians are not convinced. Related: Do you know these famous actors living with epilepsy? Doubts about Julius Caesar’s epilepsy This might suggest that epilepsy was inherited in his family. What is more, a number of the emperor’s descendants also appeared to have seizure-like symptoms. There are also reports which indicate that Caesar’s son Caesarion had seizures as a child. This may suggest they died from SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy). Finally, the historian Thapsus explained that Caesar had to withdraw from a battle “after his usual sickness laid hold of him”.īesides these descriptions from Roman writers and historians, there are a number of other factors linking Julius Caesar and epilepsy.Ĭaesar's father and great grandfather both died suddenly and unexpectedly, despite being relatively young and in otherwise good health.Another writer, Plutarch, was most specific, describing Caesar as having “epileptic fits”.Meanwhile, the chronicler Appian talked about the emperor having “convulsions”.One writer, Suetonius, describes Julius Caesar's epilepsy as “sudden fainting fits” and “nightmares”. ![]() ![]() ![]() This button will take you to a different website Did Julius Caesar have epilepsy?Ĭaesar himself never wrote about his own health, and so historians have relied on the observations of four writers who lived at the same time as the emperor, or in in the years after his death.
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