Life Expectancy Among European Scholars from the 16th to the Early 20th Century

Re:Life Expectancy Among European Scholars from the 16th to ... by bsza on Wednesday March 31, 2021 @06:44AM (#26645613)

Literally the first line of Dante's Inferno is "Midway upon the journey of our life", and we know that the story takes place in 1300, when Dante was 35 years old. (Although Dante himself died in malaria at 56.)

I don't know where this "in the Middle Ages you were considered old folk by the age of 30" myth comes from, but it has no right to exist. It's the history equivalent of the tongue map. Wrong but so widespread that even teachers believe it sometimes.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Life Expectancy Among European Scholars from the 16th to ... by Ma8ee on Wednesday March 31, 2021 @07:22AM (#26645855)

If I would have given birth to 10 kids, seen 5 of them die, and maybe just becoming a grandmother, I would consider myself old even if I only had lived for 35 years. I might live for another 35, but my strength, health and looks would definitely never be close to those of a person in the beginning of their child bearing age.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Life Expectancy Among European Scholars from the 16th to ... by bsza on Wednesday March 31, 2021 @07:12AM (#26645778)

Actually, I got that backwards. His date of birth is unknown, and it was estimated from the Inferno. The real source the 70 year lifespan used for this estimation comes from is the Bible.

[ Parent | on HN ]