Ancient Greece

Civilisation

• flourished between 1000BC and 300BC
• influenced by Egyptians
• world controlled by many Gods
• two sides of medicine; religion and logical philosophy

Asclepios

• God of Healing
• people stayed at temples called Asclepions when they were ill
• most popular in the 5th and 4th century BC
• underwent ceremonial washing, make a sacrifice to God and slept in an Abaton
• Abaton: narrow building with a roof but no solid walls so it was open to air
• whilst sleeping there the God was supposed to come to them in a dream and cure them
• snake was the animal of Asclepios
• daughters were Hygeia and Panacea
• hygiene = cleanliness
• panacea = remedy for all illness
• women were allowed to be doctors in Ancient Greece
• power of positive thinking - if they believed they would get better, their health improved
• good habits - washed, rested and relaxed
• large pits hid bodies of the dead

Philosophers

• sought to devise rational explanations and logical codes of conduct
• religion was interwoven with their logic

Hippocrates - Founding Father of Modern Medicine

• Hippocratic Oath = promise made by doctors to obey rules of behaviour in their…