Stile di vita tra campagna e città in epoca Imperiale: i casi studio di Corinaldo e Milano

To examine the disparities in health and lifestyle between urban and rural settings during the Imperial period in Italy, a comparative study was undertaken between the rural necropolis of Contrada Nevola (1st-3rd century AD) (Corinaldo – AN), and the urban of Università Cattolica in Milan (1st-5th century AD). Anthropological and radiographic investigations were conducted on 60 individuals from Corinaldo (15 females, 22 male, 23 undetermined) and 50 from Milan (25 males, 25 females), focusing on stress markers (SM) (cribriotic lesions, Harris lines, dental enamel hypoplasia, Schmorl's nodes, entheseal changes, non-specific periosteal reactions, antemortem trauma). Contrary to Milan, males (M) in Corinaldo exhibited shorter lifespans (31-45 years) than females (F) (46-60 years). Local urban contexts (e.g., Suasa, Isernia, and Rome) and Milan (90%, M: 46%, F: 42%) were characterized by a higher frequency of SM then Corinaldo (56%, M: 32%, F: 20%). Enamel hypoplasia (EH) formation period in Corinaldo (31%, 3-4 years) may be related to weaning, in Milan (76%, 4-5 years) EH seemed to be influenced by other environmental factors. Harris lines (HL) were prevalent among young individuals in Milan (76%), whereas in Corinaldo (22%) HLs were only observed in adults (>31 years). The age of HL formation was consistent across both contexts and could be associated with to malnutrition, infections, and physiological growth (7-8 years, 11-12 years). The synergistic approach combining anthropological and radiological methods for the analysis of the various SM provided a comprehensive insight into the individuals buried in the necropolises: indeed, those from Corinaldo seem to have experienced better living conditions compared to their counterparts in Milan and contemporary urban settings. Furthermore, based on SM distribution, disparities in resource access and possible different work-related tasks between sexes were more pronounced in rural settings than in urban ones.