Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum.

Although the origin of the disease is still a topic of debate among researchers, it is widely accepted that syphilis was brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus and his crew after they arrived in the New World in 1492.

However, recent research has suggested that syphilis may have existed in ancient Rome and other parts of the Old World even before the arrival of Columbus.

The Debate Over the Origin of Syphilis

For many years, scientists believed that syphilis originated in the New World and was brought to Europe by Columbus and his crew.

This theory was based on historical records that described an outbreak of a new disease in Europe in the late 15th century, shortly after the first voyage of Columbus.

However, some researchers have challenged this theory, arguing that there is no clear evidence of syphilis in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus.

Moreover, skeletal evidence from Europe suggests that syphilis may have existed in the Old World long before Columbus’s voyage.

Skeletal Evidence of Syphilis in Ancient Rome

In the early 2000s, a team of researchers led by Charlotte Roberts of Durham University in the UK examined the skeletal remains of people buried in a Roman cemetery in Durham, England.

The cemetery was in use from the 1st to the 4th century AD, during the height of the Roman Empire.

The researchers found that several of the skeletons showed signs of treponemal disease, a family of infections that includes syphilis. In particular, some of the skeletons had bone lesions that are characteristic of late-stage syphilis.

The researchers concluded that syphilis likely existed in ancient Rome and may have been spread through sexual contact, just as it is today.

However, they cautioned that further research is needed to confirm their findings and to determine how widespread syphilis was in ancient Rome.

Related Article Syphilis traces back to the Roman era

Other Evidence of Syphilis in the Old World

The Durham study is not the only evidence that syphilis may have existed in the Old World before the arrival of Columbus. Here are a few other examples:.

1. The “Great Pox” outbreak in Europe in the late 15th century

Some historians have argued that the outbreak of syphilis in Europe in the late 15th century may actually have been a resurgence of an older disease known as the “Great Pox.” The Great Pox was characterized by symptoms similar to syphilis, such as skin lesions and genital sores, but it may have been caused by another treponemal bacterium that is now extinct.

2. The 2,000-year-old remains of a child in Greece

In 2016, a team of researchers announced that they had found evidence of treponemal disease in the skeleton of a child who lived in Greece around 2,000 years ago.

The child had bone lesions that are similar to those caused by syphilis, although the researchers cautioned that the specific bacterium that caused the disease is still unknown.

3. The remains of a bishop in Norway

In 2016, another team of researchers announced that they had found evidence of syphilis in the remains of a bishop who lived in Norway in the 14th century.

The bishop’s skeleton showed signs of bone lesions that are characteristic of syphilis, confirming that the disease existed in Europe before the arrival of Columbus.

The Importance of Studying the Origins of Syphilis

The debate over the origin of syphilis is more than just an academic exercise; it has important implications for our understanding of the history of disease and the evolution of human sexuality.

If syphilis did exist in the Old World before the arrival of Columbus, it would suggest that the disease was a natural part of the human microbiome and was not simply a product of New World contact.

Moreover, it would challenge our assumptions about the sexual behavior of ancient cultures.

Many people assume that our ancestors were less sexually active than we are today and that sexually transmitted infections like syphilis are a recent development. However, if syphilis did exist in ancient Rome and other parts of the Old World, it would suggest that our ancestors were just as sexually active as we are today and that STIs have been a part of human history for millennia.

Conclusion

Although the origin of syphilis is still a topic of debate among researchers, there is growing evidence that the disease may have existed in the Old World before the arrival of Columbus.

The discovery of skeletal evidence of treponemal disease in ancient Roman remains suggests that syphilis may have been spread through sexual contact in the ancient world. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the exact nature of the disease that existed in the Old World.