https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/19/philip-ii-macedon-lost-his-eye/
Eye Eye
Early in my career I developed an order system for the Artificial Eye Service (based in Blackpool). One of the pieces of validation for the system was for the number of eyes. It read "Display warning if more than two".
:)
(Nothing to do with ancient history, but I always remember that specification!).
;D
Interesting original article. I noted that, far from recent news, the original article is from 2004.
It's interesting to note how many military figures from our period continued with their careers having lost the sight of an eye, either through wounds or illness.
I have also often pondered, as someone who has worn glasses all his adult life and was thus disqualified from certain modern military roles, the degree to which myopia and other common issues affected ancient commanders. The first military commander I can think of who was noted as excelling despite poor eyesight (and wearing early glasses) was Marshal Davout. One does wonder whether some major battles were lost in ancient times because a proud king or general was reluctant to admit that he found the enemy's dispositions a tad hazy to discern...
The Bishop of Arezzo at Campaldino is said to have been short-sighted enough to have mistaken the Guelph pavises for walls.
Sorry to go off piste but Gustavus Adolphus was short sighted and got frustrated at not being able to see what was going on. This led to unfortunate consequences at Lützen.
I had forgotten Gustav Adolph.