This concept is hundreds of years old. Didn’t Merlin—of the Arthurian legends—age backwards? Merlin didn’t have the aged appearance at birth of Benjamin Button, but Merlin did have the wisdom and experience of an old man when he was born.
This concept is hundreds of years old. Didn’t Merlin—of the Arthurian legends—age backwards?
The backwards aging of Merlin is from a relatively recent version of the legend. The Once and Future King, I believe, written by T.H. White and published in 1958. I don't think it was part of the legend prior to that.