Written evidence of stress reactions to trauma is relatively new, dating back to the 17th century (Reference Trimble and FigleyTrimble, 1985). I would like to present the oldest post-traumatic reaction in recorded history. This historical evidence is based on a cuneiform tablet describing the death in battle of King Urnamma (2111-2094 BC) and its consequences (Reference Fluckiger-HawkerFluckiger-Hawker, 1999). This tablet provides the earliest known description of exposure to a traumatic event leading to a post-traumatic reaction. The following paragraphs present the destruction bestowed on Sumer and the people's reaction to the event:

These verses describe exposure to a traumatic event, followed by psychiatric symptoms. This evidence gives us a glimpse of a traumatic reaction in antiquity and allows us to compare it to modern reactions. Furthermore, it reveals the core features of post-traumatic stress disorder, which are based on exposure to a traumatic event followed by characteristic symptoms such as sleep disturbances (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).