Greek Medicine: From the Heroic to the Hellenistic Age a Source Book

By James Longrigg

The Greeks were the first to use rational systems of medicine, based upon belief in natural causation, rather than magical and religious elements, which resulted in a new conception of disease, accounting for causes and symptoms of illness. "Greek Medicine" places ancient Greek medicine, from Homer to the Alexandrians, within its historical and intellectual context by presenting a selection of source material in translation.
The book provides a chronological account on the most important aspects of ancient medicine, and includes chapters on specific areas of medicine, such as gynecology, dietetics, pharmacology and surgery.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415920876
• ISBN13: 9780415920872
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.9" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

displays the rationality of ancient Greek medicine

This collection of sources, together with careful analyses of the evidence presented, well reveals the world's first systems for medicine as a rational science for healing and health. There is a wide-ranging collection of sources displaying something of the breadth of knowledge of Greek physicians, especially during the classical and Hellenistic periods, as physicians discovered that divine causation was an ineffective method for understanding illness. The study is based chronologically, with chapters devoted to specific topics such as gynecology, surgery, medical ethics, professional behavior, and dietetics. I recommend it highly.