Adult Breastfeeding in Ancient Rome

Abstract

This article examines possible connections between historical-mythological depictions of women breastfeeding their own parents, ancient pharmacological uses of human breast milk, and the columna lactaria (“lactation column”). By looking at accounts of the adult consumption of human breast milk in conjunction with medical writings about the nutritional and curative properties of the substance, I argue that there could have been a practice of distributing and consuming human breast milk in the ancient Roman world. Mythological stories of lactating women feeding their incarcerated parents show that adult consumption of human breast milk at Rome was viewed as something amazing, though not completely bizarre. In fact, literary sources show that attitudes towards adult breastfeeding were similar to attitudes towards women nursing their own children—a practice that was thought to display familial piety. Further, medical sources from the time period argue for the superiority of breast milk to other ingestible substances for curing various ailments. Finally, the columna lactaria, though poorly attested, gives us a possible location for an ancient marketplace for congress between those with breast milk to sell and those looking to buy.

'You Owe Me': Affections and Duties between Elderly Mothers and Their Adult Children in Ancient Rome

“…6 An example of this can be found in the epitaph of Papyria Tertia (1st century CE), in which she states that it is better to remain childless than to lose your child and live a miserable 4 However, there is an important debate about the actual role that upper-class mothers played in early natal care, including breastfeeding. Recent works on this are Centlivres (2017), Mulder (2017), andReboreda (2018). 5 The classic texts that have been consulted here are editions from the Loeb Classical Library or The Latin Library and Perseus digital libraries.…”

“…The same case and a similar one between a senex and his daughter are narrated by Valerius Maximus in 5.4.ext.1 and 5.4.7. For the meaning of these episodes, see Mulder (2017), who points out that none of the ancient writers explain the difference between the mother or the father being imprisoned, nor the possible symbolic significance of this. 8 For some examples, see 11 Ar 1; 117 Ar 6; 201 Ar 9; 173 Pr 14.…”

The female breast as a symbol of charity through breastfeeding

“…It is generally accepted that in ancient Rome, a columna lactaria (lactation column) existed. This place was an ancient marketplace for transactions between those with breast milk to sell and those looking to buy [5].…”