Emperor Hadrian, ruler from 211-217 AD and the alleged architect of the great Pantheon, died of what?

Flem-ish

Dropsy. Aug 26 05, 3:13 PM

lanfranco

I've occasionally wondered whether people still use that word. Somewhere I read that Hadrian is believed to have suffered from heart trouble, so possibly his dropsy/edema was the result of congestive heart failure. Incidentally, though Hadrian rebuilt the Pantheon, the actual architect is unknown. Aug 26 05, 4:19 PM

lanfranco

P.S. We seem to have a date problem here. Hadrian ruled from 117-138 CE. Caracalla ruled from 211-217. Aug 26 05, 4:54 PM

Flem-ish

Strange ..If http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Trajan can be relied upon , his predecessor Trajan seems to have died of "edema" too. By the way "dropsy" is used in various websites, one of them being the Catholic Encyclopedia, another http://www.hadrians.com/rome/romans/emperors/emperor_index.html. The footnote to "edema" in www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Trajan says: BE oedema, FORMERLY known as dropsy. Aug 26 05, 7:51 PM

lanfranco

That's interesting Flem-ish. "Dropsy" was probably a catch-all term for a variety of medical problems that resulted in fluid retention. In addition to heart disorders, doesn't edema show up in lung and kidney illnesses, too? Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward III, is supposed to have died of dropsy, but who knows what she really had? Aug 26 05, 8:41 PM

Flem-ish

As so often "wikipedia" is the source with just that bit of extra information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edema Aug 26 05, 8:47 PM

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