The first recorded autopsy in history was performed on which person?

The first recorded autopsy in history was performed on which person?

The first recorded autopsy in history was performed on the body of the Roman general and dictator Julius Caesar. This historic examination took place in Rome in 44 BCE shortly after his assassination by a group of senators. A physician named Antistius was tasked with examining the body and documenting the extent of his injuries to determine the cause of death for legal and forensic purposes.

Antistius’ examination of the corpse revealed a total of 23 stab wounds, but his most crucial finding was that only one wound, which had ruptured Caesar’s aorta, was actually the fatal blow. This groundbreaking documentation of the specific cause of death, recorded and reported in the Roman Forum, marks the earliest known example of an official, medicolegal post-mortem examination, establishing a precedent for forensic investigation.

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXaotSuJhzM

https://www.threads.com/@beliproduk.official/post/DRE-077ElZ6