Roman Medicine

I did not actually write this resource, but I find it very useful.

Roman Medicine

Connections between Roman and Greek Medicine

• The first doctors of Rome were Greek doctors captured as prisoners of war.
• The Roman's took over Alexandria and its library and university. Alexandria was the centre of medical learning.
• The main medical books in Rome were those written by Hippocrates and his followers who were all Greek.
• Later Greek doctors flocked to Rome because they could make a good living there.

The Greek empire had been small, less than 20,000 people which did not pose too many health problems. The Roman Empire had many large cities - Rome itself had a million people living cramped together which DID pose health problems.

The Greek Empire hadn't been very centralised so ideas spread slowly however the Roman Empire was very centralised with a strong government so quick communication around the empires. Ideas and medical knowledge spread fast - but so did disease.

Greek philosophers were famous thinkers but Romans were less interested in theories and more interested in practical solutions.

The Roman Army had thousands of soldiers permanently stationed all over the empire, frequently at war. The government provided the army with the best medical care as they depended on the army to control the empire.

The Romans were wealthier than the Greeks.

Medical Ideas

The Romans still believed that Gods caused disease, such as Salus - the Goddess of health. They also used herbal remedies a lot and doctors carried out simple operations. However, the Romans were not so interested in the causes of disease.

Galen

Born in AD129

Went to a medical school for 12 years. Worked as a surgeon at a gladiator school…