Overview

• The Yale Ancient Pharmacology Program published a paper that combines textual analysis of Suetonius’s anecdotes with ethnobotanical fieldwork to reevaluate Caligula’s medical acumen.
• Researchers located hellebore plants above 2,500 feet on Mount Helicon whose features align with ancient descriptions, clarifying long-standing taxonomic ambiguities.
• Caligula’s reference to bloodletting alongside hellebore treatment indicates he drew on works like Celsus’s De Medicina, revealing a sophisticated grasp of ancient therapeutic practices.
• The study underscores Antikyra’s status as a specialized health destination for ailments such as epilepsy and melancholy, mirroring Caligula’s personal interest in medical remedies.
• The team is now set to perform phytochemical analyses on Greek hellebore specimens to test their biochemical potency and historical efficacy.