Cribra orbitalia and cribra cranii in Roman skeletal remains from the Ravenna area and Rimini (I-IV century AD)

Cribra orbitalia and cribra cranii are considered good indicators of the health and nutritional status of ancient populations, as their presence is often associated with chronic acquired anaemia. The distribution of these lesions in two Roman samples from the Ravenna area and Rimini was considered as a measure of health in relation to their respective environments. The differential analisys suggests that the lesions observed are due to crhonic aquired anaemia, probably caused by a poor diet, worm infestation, infections and parasitic diseases.