Nearly every circus and dime museum has its example, and some of the most famous have in this way been able to accumulate fortunes.
Athenaeus has written quite a long discourse on persons of note who in the olden times were distinguished for their obesity.

He quotes a description of Denys, the tyrant of Heraclea, who was so enormous that he was in constant danger of suffocation; most of the time he was in a stupor or asleep, a peculiarity of very fat people.

His doctors had needles put in the back of his chairs to keep him from falling asleep when sitting up and thus incurring the danger of suffocation.

In the same work Athenaeus speaks of several sovereigns noted for their obesity; among others he says that Ptolemy VII, son of Alexander, was so fat that, according to Posidonius, when he walked he had to be supported on both sides.

Nevertheless, when he was excited at a repast, he would mount the highest couch and execute with agility his accustomed dance.
According to old chronicles the cavaliers at Rome who grew fat were condemned to lose their horses and were placed in retirement.