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CLAS3051 Lecture 2

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

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CLAS3051 Lecture 2

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

  2. 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

  3. 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 (5th 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

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

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

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

  7. 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

  8. 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?

  9. 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.?

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

  11. 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?

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

  13. Zeus's Role • Also brings sudden death • Blindness to Polyphemus • What is his relationship with disease in Hesiod Works and Days L1.13-14?

  14. 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

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

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

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

  18. Location of Epidaurus

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

  20. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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