Ancient Roman Medicine

Ancient Roman medicine was actually said to be a combination of some limited scientific knowledge, and a deeply rooted religious and mythological system. While the developed knowledge of anatomy was quite impressive, and many surgical techniques were only surpassed in the modern age, the application of medicines and cures was simplistic and largely ineffective. Much of the Roman medicinal system was adopted from the Greeks, and primarily the teachings of Hippocrates.

Hippocrates is accepted as the father of modern medicine, as he created the concept of medicine in a separate scientific field away from a philosophical and mythic approach. The modern Hippocratic Oath directly stems from Hippocrates and continues to be the binding ethical law guiding all those in the field of medicine. He was mainly responsible for the foundation of recording illnesses, attempts at treatment, and the causes and effects. The Roman people expanded on Hippocrates scientific methods by combining it with the religious and mythological ceremony of the day. Adding to the concept of study and record keeping, the Romans included prayers, offerings and sacrificing to the gods in hopes of greater success. Most of the Roman gods were said to have healing powers, but one in particular played a prominent role in ancient medicine. The god of healing was Aesculapius, was the prominent deity that governed the Roman medical practice and his symbolic snake entwined staff continues to be used as a symbol of the medical field today.

Doctors of hat age themselves were basically craftsmen, like any other profession. Early on the medical profession was mainly one of trial and error with apprenticeships to pass on the art, but later, medical schools were established to make the field more widely uniform. While modern medicine in the civilian sector was highly dependent on 'doctors' of widely ranging skills and education, the legions had the benefit of highly experienced medical personnel. Civilian medical persons were mostly Greeks, many of whom were socially low slaves or freedmen, with a few more prominent individuals who served the upper classes. While the practice of modern medicine was widely diverse for the common people, the legions had access to surgeons and hospital facilities that were far better than anything available after the fall of the empire.

Despite the reliance on a spiritual approach to healing, Roman society maintained reasonably good health throughout its history. The comprehensive use of aqueducts and fresh running water, including toilets and sewer systems, prevented the proliferation of many standing water based diseases, and also washed away wastes away from heavily populated areas. Excellent cleanliness and food supply also played a prominent role. The Roman baths were an essential part of society, in all social classes, and regular cleansing helped fight germs and bacteria. The Roman people also tried, whenever practical, to boil medical tools and prevent using them on more than one patient without cleansing. Galen was a prominent physician in the ancient world, worked diligently to expand medical knowledge. Moving away from the imaginary approach, he pursued Hippocrates' methods of observation and research.

• Janny Raines
• 09/02/2009, 12:59 AM
• 0 Comments