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

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

The first recorded autopsy in history was performed on the body of the famous Roman general and dictator Julius Caesar. This groundbreaking medicolegal examination took place in Rome in 44 BCE, shortly after his assassination on the Ides of March. A Roman physician named Antistius conducted the post-mortem to legally establish the extent of Caesar’s injuries and, crucially, to determine the actual cause of death, making it the earliest documented forensic investigation.

Antistius’ examination of the corpse was historically significant because he documented the presence of 23 distinct stab wounds but determined that only one specific blow, which had pierced Caesar’s aorta, was the actual fatal injury. The findings of this methodical post-mortem were then reported publicly in the Roman Forum, ensuring the record was preserved for posterity and establishing the very early foundation for the use of medical expertise in legal and criminal matters, which is the definition of forensic science.

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEzCm9EoDiM

https://www.threads.com/@beliproduk.official/post/DRE-_N5knfw