THE CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING OF 2 BYZANTINE EMPERORS

Case Report: In this paper, two possible eases of acute carbon monoxid e poisoning previously not identified in the medical and historical li terature are discussed, The first concerns the famous Byzantine Empero r Julian the Apostate, who may have suffered mild carbon monoxide pois oning from which he quickly and completely recovered. The second case involves his successor, Jovian, who may have succumbed to severe carbo n monoxide poisoning. Both cases were in all likelihood due to the bur ning of coal in braziers, a usual method of indoor heating during that epoch.