Archaeological evidence and a closer look at literary sources suggest that abandoning disabled infants wasn’t an accepted part of ancient Greek culture, even if it happened occasionally. ScienceMagArchives
, written around 100 C.E., Greek philosopher Plutarch recounted how the ancient Spartans submitted newborns to a council of elders for inspection. “Fit and strong” babies survived, but those found to be “lowborn or deformed” were left outside to die, Plutarch wrote, “on the grounds that it is neither better for themselves nor for the city to live [their] natural life poorly equipped.”
But archaeological evidence and a closer look at literary sources suggests the legend may be pure myth. In a study published today in the journal, even if it happened occasionally. Sneed says archaeological evidence supports that view, showing babies with profound health problems at birth were cared for well beyond their first weeks of life. In 1931, for example, excavators uncovered the remains of more than 400 infants in a well in Athens. In a 2018 analysis, archaeologists showed the remains were mostly just a few days old at most,in the ancient world, not selective infanticide.
Together, the evidence suggests babies born with anomalous limbs or disabilities were regularly nurtured and often survived until adulthood. “We have plenty of evidence of people actively not killing infants,” Sneed says, “and no evidence that they did.”
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