THE COMMON HEALTHCARE APPROACHES IN THE ERA OF GRECO-ROMAN ANTIQUITY

Аннотация

This study explores the practices and training of medical practitioners during Greco- Roman times. Medical education primarily occurred through apprenticeships with established physicians, yet there were no formal qualifying medical examinations, resulting in significant variability inthe standards ofpractice. Key words: military hospitals, Greek medicine, advancements in public health, professional organization,contemporary medicine. In Rome, the traditional practices of magic-religious healing were gradually replaced by the introduction of Greek physicians and their medical knowledge. Concurrently, Roman administrative reforms led to enhancements in water and food supply systems, the establishment of a comprehensive sewage disposal network, and the creation of military hospitals during the Roman Period. As Rome emerged as the preeminent urban center in the Mediterranean, it drew prominent Greek physicians, including Galen of Pergamon. His extensive writings, grounded in original experimentation and comprehensive scholarship, epitomizethezenith ofGreek medicine. Galen's synthesis ultimately became the prevailing medical doctrine among the scholars of the Byzantine Empire, who focused on clarifying, systematizing, and adapting the vast array of ancient medical textsthey inherited. This study explores the practices and training of medical practitioners during Greco-Roman times. Medical education primarily occurred through apprenticeships with established physicians, yet there were no formal qualifying examinations, resulting in significant variability in the standards of practice. During the Roman period, the majority of medical practitioners were Greek and operated as itinerant physicians. Civic physicians, who were employed by local communities, began to appear in Greek society from the 5th century BC, but this development occurred much later in Rome, likely not until the 4th century AD. Rome's notable contributions to medicine included advancements in public health, exemplified by their aqueducts, public baths, and sewage systems, as well as a highly effective medical service for their military forces. Hospitals, known as valetudinarian, were established for military personnel and slaves on large estates from the 1st century BC, while civic hospitals for the general populace did not emerge until the 4th century AD. The Greek medical schools of Cos and Cnidos eventually overshadowed by the school of Alexandria in Egypt, and later by the school of Carthage in northern Africa towards the end of the Roman Empire. The decline of these institutions during theChristianera marked theend ofsignificant medical advancements from antiquity. The origins of contemporary medicine traced to the 5th century BC, coinciding with the flourishing of literature, philosophy, arts, and sciences during the Golden Age of Athens. It was http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 3 Volume15 Issue02, February2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 during this period that the Greek communities of Cos and Cnidos established the principles of rational medicine. While the Hippocratic corpus provides significant insights into the logic and ethics of this emerging medical practice, it offers limited information regarding the actual conduct of practitioners. This article explores the fundamental aspects of medical practice in ancient times, as well as the teachings of prominent physicians who shaped the field during the Greek and Hellenisticperiods, extendinginto theRoman era. The origins of Greek medical history can be traced back to the era of Homer. In the Iliad (1.1 -43ff; 450- 480; XI.518 and 833), the god of healing, Apollo, along with his son Asclepius, a physician, play significant roles during the Trojan War. Celsius (Proem, c.3)later noted that their contributions were primarily in the treatment of battle injuries rather than in the management of epidemic diseases. The Iliad itself records 147 injuries sustained in battle, comprising 106 spear wounds, 17sword cuts, 12arrow injuries, and 12wounds from slingshots (Porter 1997:51). The prevailing belief during this period was that diseases were attributed to the will of the gods, leading to a significant influence of religious and prophetic practices on health matters. Consequently, priests, magical healers, herbalists, and those skilled in root cutting (rhizotomoi) (Godderis 1997:235-237) predominantly managed the practice of medicine. However, by the 6th century BC, a notable group of philosopher-physicians emerged, profoundly influencing the evolution of healthcare. This group included Thales of Miletus and his disciple Anaximander, as well as the distinguished Pythagoras (570-489 BC) from Croton in Southern Italy. In addition to his substantial contributions to mathematics and physics, Pythagoras, possibly in collaboration with his student Alcmaeon, proposed the theory of the four bodily humours, which, despite its