Medicine in ancient Rome

Medicine in ancient Rome combined various techniques using different tools. There was a strong Greek influence on Roman medicine, with Greek physicians including Dioscorides and Galen working and writing on medicine in the Roman Empire with knowledge of hundreds of herbal and other medicines.

Ancient Roman medicine was divided into specializations such as ophthalmology and urology. A variety of surgical procedures were carried out using many different instruments including forceps, scalpels and catheters.

The Roman Empire was a complex and vigorous combination of Greek and Roman cultural elements forged through centuries of war. Later Latin authors, notably Cato and Pliny believed in a specifically Roman type of healing based on herbs, chants, prayers and charms easily available to any head of a household. It was not until the establishment and development of military and political contacts between Greece that Greek medicine made its entry into Italy. However, It was not until the introduction of the healing god Asclepius in 291 BC and the arrival of the Greek doctor Archagathus in 219 BC that foreign medicine was publicly accepted.

Setting aside some of the broader implications of the Greek influence on Roman society, the effect of Greek medicine, ethnography, and meteorology was particularly pertinent in two fields: architecture and health care. This was particularly important from the perspective of the Roman army. Within the scope of the Roman military, there were many medical advancements. A medical corpus was established, permanent physicians were fixed, the valetudinarium (military hospitals) were established, and in Caesars time, the first traces of systematic care for the wounded was founded; It is also important to note that the variety and nature of the surgical instruments discovered in Roman remains indicate a good knowledge of surgery.

Roman medicine was highly influenced by the Greek medical tradition. Similar to Greek physicians, Roman physicians relied on naturalistic observations to heal the sick rather than spiritual rituals, but that does not imply an absence of spiritual belief. Tragic famines and plagues were often attributed to divine punishment and appeasement to the deities through rituals was believed to alleviate such events. Miasma was perceived to be the root cause of many diseases, whether caused by famine, wars, or plague. The concept of contagion was formulated, resulting in practices of quarantine and improved sanitation.

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