Also known as "an abdominal delivery". There are claims that Gaius Julius Caesar was delivered by such an operation, but evidence disputes such a claim. Fact: the first known successful Caesarean section was recorded in Pavia, Italy, April, 1876, from a Julie Covallini. Fact: although the operation was occasionally used in ancient times, the Caesarean section usually resulted in death for both the child and the mother. There were some occasions when the child survived, but the mother inevitably perished.

Caesar's mother, Aurelia, lived to be at least seventy years old and was apparently in good health up until the time of her death. This would suggest that she never had such a deadly operation.