Quote:
|
If I remember correctly from anthropology class, the largest influence on life expectancy was surviving birth. If you made it to about the age of 10, then you were fairly certain to make it to 40. After that the immune system again gets weak and you are more likely to die from sickness. Although very old people were not unheard of in ancient civilizations.
|
Correct. A History Prof pointed this out, that rulers living into their 70s was not out of the norm so long as they didn't A: Die before 20 (fratricide) or B: Die in battle. So long as they made it out of the dangerous early years, their immune system proved to be good enough to last a very long time. Just because the average expectancy was 25 does not mean the average adult lived to 25. The reality was most lived to their early 50s, a few died at 0-10yr old, and many fewer would die in battle at low 20s.
That being said... this article is pseudo-science. It takes aspects which are partially correct, ignore conflicting evidence, and puts it in a corrolation proves I'm right aspect and dawns an ugly bow.