CLAS3051 Lecture 2 Pre-rational Medicine in Near East and Greece

Interplay Between Greece, Egypt, Babylon, etc. 1500ish: great decay in civilization in Europe In Archaic period (900 – 500 BC) major influence on Greeks Civilizations of Great antiquity to the Greeks Commerce

Greek View of Egyptian Medicine Homer: 'everyone is a healer', 'the bountiful land produces many drugs (Archeology shows trade in medical goods like opium and coriander)‏ Herodotus (5 th c BC) says that they have medical specialists (Herodotus also says Babylonians have no doctors, and seek medical advice from passers by)‏ Very difficult to work out interdependence

Egyptian Medicine Information recorded in written text, using hieroglyphs, on papyrus (pl. papyri) documents

Papyrus Reed-like plant Grows in Nile delta Pounded into sheets Written upon with black sticky stuff

Preservation of Papyri In ideal dry conditions of desert Last for thousands of years Treasure hunt in late 19 th, early 20 th centuries  Leads to forgeries

Ebers Papyrus (LI.1)‏ Dated to 1500 BC! ?Some content as early as 3000 BC Begins with spells Other sections less magical: i.e. diseases of the head

What Concepts of Medicine Does it Represent? How does one become ill? How does one become better? What forces are at work for and against us?

Hearst Papyrus (LI.2)‏ Bancroft Library: “near perfect fake”? Roughly same date as Ebers pap. coprotherapy from copros 'dung' What process is taking place? How is this like the prayer in the Ebers pap.?

Sumerian Cuneiform Tablets cuneiform lit. means 'wedge-shaped' preserved through firing of clay in disasters 3000 BC onwards

Sumerian Incantations LI.4 How is it like Egyptian ones? LI.5-6  – what picture of disease do they offer  on what principle do they operate?

Greek Pestilence from gods Artemis and Apollo, brother and sister Here, killing children of Niobe  Bringers of disease  Healers of disease

Zeus's Role Also brings sudden death Blindness to Polyphemus What is his relationship with disease in Hesiod Works and Days L ?

Wounds in Homer Homer thought to be a 'medical officer' (!) by German scholar Emphasis on anatomical correctness Treatment of Menelaos by Machaon in bk. 4 fairly realistic

Healing Cults Amphiaraus and Asclepius How did these work? LI.21

Asclepius Human son of Apollo Taught by Chiron Over-used magical arts Killed by Zeus, but made a god Associated with snake, staff

Temple Complex of Asclepius at Epidaurus Best known for this well-preserved theatre This a late (4 th c. BC) addition Not crucial to its healing function Testament to prosperity of 'cult'

Location of Epidaurus

Sanctuary of Asclepius What happened here? LI.22-23: myth and legend LI.24-26: contemporary accounts

Evidence from Inscriptions Sometimes called 'epigraphic' evidence from Greek for 'carving upon' Tens of thousands of these documents Records of healings at Epidaurus Form of advertisement

Votive Offerings Repayment to the gods Often in shape of limb or organ Here probably in thanks for restored health of child

Surgery at Epidaurus Bronze medical instruments found at site See LI.23,25

Evidence from Manuscript Tradition Books copied through the ages By 9 th c. AD, looked like this

Spread of the Cult of Asclepius Came to Athens in late 5 th c. BC L.27

Organization of Asclepius Cult So-called Asclepiadai, travelling priests of god LI.29 shows agreements between these groups

Mixing of Scientific Medicine with Religion Cult influenced by Hippocratic medicine? Hippocratic by cult practices? What distinguished these? Which was preferable to Greeks?