The pictogram of the pes planus from the first century AD.

PURPOSE: This study presents a pictogram engraved into the Marble Road of the ancient town of Ephesus, with a special emphasis on one part of it which represents a flat foot. Although the flat foot is a widespread and common disturbance in all time periods, we were motivated by a lack of its representation within iconographical, historical or other sources.

METHOD: Aiming to confirm the diagnosis objectively we applied the modern diagnostic methodology, arch index (AI). The result was 0.33, which is a mathematical proof that the Ephesus foot is definitely flat.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this picture from the first century AD is among the oldest representations of a flat foot in history.