Ancient Rome

Overview

• rejected the ideas of Greek medicine
• Greek doctors reduced to slaves in 3rd and 2nd centuries BC
• 293BC - plague outbreak meant an Asclepion was re-established in Rome and then became a public hospital for the poor/slaves
• Julius Caesar allowed doctors to become Roman citizens in 46BC
• knew they needed a strong and healthy army
• Valetundinaria - hospitals for wounded soldiers
• doctors were expected to removes arrows
• Roman texts described operations to remove bladder stones and cataracts

Factors Which Led to Progress

• wealthy
• travellers - had an Empire took over the known world and imported goods and ideas to Rome
• built roads which helped them travel
• warlike - had the…