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Childbirth in Ancient Greece: Myths, Midwives, and Mortality

Explore the nature of evidence surrounding childbirth in Ancient Greece, including Soranus' gynecology, practices of midwives, infant mortality rates, and rituals of acceptance. Discover the role of myths, tragedies, and comedies in understanding childbirth in this era.

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Childbirth in Ancient Greece: Myths, Midwives, and Mortality

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  1. Lecture 4: Childbirth CLAS3051

  2. Nature of Our Evidence? • Written • Soranus' Gynaecology • What problems does this present us with? • Myths, tragedies, comedies • Oblique references in, e.g., Plato • Images

  3. Midwives • From tomb of Scribona Attice, midwife at Ostia, port of Rome • Freedwomen, or daughters of Freedmen • Not a citizen's calling

  4. Requirement • Start early? Poblicia Aphe, obstetrix, dead at age twenty-one • A suitable person will be literate, with her wits about her, possessed of a good memory, loving work, respectable and generally not unduly handicapped as regards her senses [i.e., sight, smell, hearing], sound of limb, robust, and, according to some people, endowed with long slim fingers and short nails at her fingertips. Soranus

  5. Superstitious Midwives? • Should “be free from superstitions so as not to overlook what is expedient on account of a dream or omen or customary ritual or popular superstition” Soranus Gyn. 1.3-4 in Garland 62-63

  6. Distinction • Law codices of late Roman period: • Slave doctors and midwives of equal value • Midwives have access to same arbitration as doctors • In birth contract 40 drachmae left for emergency, portion for midwife • In East sometimes became 'gynocologists', wrote essays (not surviving)‏

  7. Midwifery in Ancient Greece • Less 'professionalized'? • Collective wisdom of local women • four or so other women also in attendance

  8. Socrates as Midwife • Theaetetus: I can assure you, Socrates, that I have tried very often, . . . but I cannot shake off a feeling of anxiety. • Socrates: These are the pangs of labor, my dear Theaetetus, you have something within you which you are bringing to birth. And have you never heard, . . . that I am the son of a midwife ... and that I myself practice midwifery? • Theaetetus: No, never.

  9. Infant Mortality • How do we assess?

  10. Retrojection of Modern Rates • Perinatal infant mortality of ?8% • 10 – 20% mortality among women (Garland 65)‏ • 5 out of 20,000 mortality among women (French, V. Helios 1986)‏

  11. Deities of Childbirth • From pediment of Parthenon? • Eileithyia = “she who comes” • Artemis, too

  12. Hippocratic Labour • “The child by the spasmodic movements of its hands and feet breaks one of the internal membranes ... it forces a wide passage for itself through the womb .... It advances head first – that is the natural position, since its weight measured from above the navel is greater than it is below.” Nature of the Child

  13. The Birthing Chair or Stool • This a 19th century example • couches and dining benches also used • softening with oils, etc.

  14. Testing the Child • bathed in wine Plut. Lycurgus Soranus • Process of acceptance

  15. Difficult Pregnancies • Transverse: deal with through palpitation • Tongs not commonly used in live birth • Stillbirths a major hazard • Description on G 76-77 relates considerable skill • Hippocratic text On the Cutting Up of the Embryo • Suppositious children?

  16. Unusual Births • Seen as portentous • Relating displeasure of gods • Not necessarily moral transgression or wrongdoing of the individual • Pollution of the community

  17. Oath of Athenian Ephebes (Cadets)‏ • “If I remain faithful to the inscribed oath, may women give birth to children who resemble their parents. If not, may they give birth to monsters” (Tod II 204.39-45 in G 79).

  18. Parmenides: Rationalist Explanations • Garland p. 80 • What is typical of this passage?

  19. Exposure • Form of population control • Different conception of personhood, parenthood • Illegitimate children, children of slaves, we assume • Sickly and deformed children • Girls • Most of Greece decision of father, Sparta, Rome the state

  20. Attitudes? • Golden: “co-exist with care of and affection for children” just as abortion today • Tragedies suggest undercurrent of anxiety, perhaps • Exposure not killing: put in care of gods

  21. Rituals of Acceptance • Amphidromia = “running around” • Around hearth • Dekate ('tenth day' ceremony)‏ • Naming takes place on this occasion • Widening circle of acceptance • Hedging against infant mortality?

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