ancient medicine

Topic for Discussion,  Word Study

Health and healing | Mythological healers: Cheiron and Asklepios

The recently published Gallery | Health and healing introduced us to the world of medicine, including Asklepios and Hygieia, and some Homeric passages. This post explores a few more references in ancient Greek texts to healers, doctors, drugs, and health, looking at a few passages on Cheiron and his teachings; and on the cult of Asklepios. Cheiron and his teachings Cheiron is a centaur and healer who teaches various heroes… Read more

Gallery

Gallery | Health and healing

Asklepios sits between his daughter Hygieia and a man. This Gallery will take you to the well celebrated world of medicine. In Homeric poetry doctors are precious, valued and well respected. As Idomeneus says to Nestor in Iliad 11.514–551: “A physician is worth more than several other men put together, for he can cut out arrows and spread healing herbs.” (Sourcebook[1]) In Iliad Scroll 4, when Menelaos is wounded, Agamemnon… Read more

Book Club

Book Club | January 2021: Hippocrates

I swear by Apollo the physician, and Asclepius, and Hygieia and Panacea and all the gods and goddesses as my witnesses, that, according to my ability and judgement, I will keep this Oath and this contract. Our Book Club readings for January are from Hippocrates, the so-called “Father of Medicine”. In the surviving treatises (which may have been by Hippocrates himself, or by his followers) we can see that instead… Read more