Medicine through time

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Ancient Greek Medicine

Medicine was very important to the Ancient Greek. Ancient Greek Culture was such that a high priority was placed upon healthy lifestyles, this despite Ancient Greece being much different to the Greece of the modern World.

Ancient Greece was much different to the Greece of today. In Ancient Times Greece was a collection of City States. Each of these was independent from the others but shared a similar culture and religious beliefs. Despite the lack of a coherent government the Greeks developed a society that matched, if not bettered, that of the Ancient Egyptians.

Medical practice in Ancient Greece, like Egypt, was based largely upon religious beliefs. The Cult of Asclepious grew in popularity and was a major provider of medical care. This cult developed old theories and introduced several treatments not too dissimilar from modern 'alternative medicines'. 

The Ancient Greeks though made major strides in medical knowledge. The works of Hippocrates and his followers led to several scientific facts being recorded for the first time: and perhaps more significantly the work of these philosophers began a tradition of studying the cause of disease rather than looking solely at the symptoms when prescribing a cure. 

The legacy of the Ancient Greek world on medical practice has been great. Hippocrates theory of the Four Humours was, for a long time, the basis upon which to develop medical reasoning. Likewise the methodology employed by the Greeks has, to a large extent, been retained and modified to form what we now consider to be conventional medicine.

Ancient Greece Section - pages in this unit

Unit home page -  Hippocrates: Background - Hippocrates: Theory of the Four Humors - The Cult of Asclepious - The City of Alexandria - Public Health in Ancient Greece - Activities - External Links

 

	Greek and Roman Medicine The second book in the History of Medicine series. This book is an ideal resource for students following the Medicine Through Time course at GCSE level. The book provides a clear understanding of the key ideas that formed medical practice throughout the Ancient and medieval worlds, making the content 'must know' material. Brilliantly summarised and supported by a wide range of images.
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