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Roman Doctors

Ancient Roman Doctors

The 'doctors' in ancient Rome were not nearly as highly regarded as the doctors in Greece. The profession itself, outside of the legions, was considered a low social position, fit for slaves, freedmen and non-latin citizens, mainly Greeks. While there were some who were respected, most were considered just as they were, cheaters, liars and quacks. The bulk of doctors, at least early on, were self-taught or apprenticed practitioners who simply claimed to be healers, with little basis in real medical knowledge.

Many doctors did try to find effective treatments and perform a valuable service to the community, but even more were simply in it to con and cheat their patients. As there were no licensing boards, no formal requirements or education for entrance to the profession, anyone could call himself a doctor. If his methods were successful, he attracted more patients, if not, they simply moved on to another career.

Wealthier, and more respected physicians, set up shop like any normal practice today, with an office and staff. Others simply advertised their services on the streets, going so far as to perform simple surgeries in front of crowds to increase their notoriety. Others acted as 'snake oil' salesmen, selling any number of products along with their treatments. Beauty supplies and cosmetics were commonly purchased from doctors. Nearly all would attempt to treat any ailment provided the price was right, knowing their treatments did little good, if not more harm. There is even evidence of doctors acting as assassins, willingly poisoning patients in the guise of giving them care, though this was rare and would lead to a short professional career.

With the introduction of a medical school in the 1st century AD, the health care of ancient world become more uniform and practical; but for the average citizen, life was better without the need for a doctor. Surgeons however, especially those in the legions, were highly skilled and coveted in private life. Research and advances made by doctors on the battlefield became the mainstay of human medicine for nearly 2 millenium.

Women also performed an important service to the field of medicine. As a tradition last lasted for centuries, midwives delivered babies and became experts in women's health. These skilled medical care givers often filled the void left by the ignorance of doctors, and despite high birth mortality rates, went a long way towards providing quality service to Roman women.


Roman Surgery

Although the so called doctors of the day were mostly inadequate at best, Roman surgeons were highly advanced and skilled professionals. A detailed knowledge of anatomy and its functions, thanks primarily to having to deal with military wounds, led to many surgical operations in line with success rates enjoyed in the modern era.

Most surgeries in the ancient world were likely of the low impact variety such as tumor removal and hernia operations, while more extensive surgeries certainly occurred under military care.

Trepanation was a form of brain surgery designed to relieve pressure and cure headaches. Using a drill, a hole in the skull not only worked to relieve the pressure, but patients had a high survival rate.

Cataract surgery was also known. A thin needle was pushed though the eye to break up the cataract and the remaining pieces suctioned out through a long tube. Evidence suggests this procedure at least had a moderate rate of vision improvement success.

A form of ancient cosmetic surgery was also practiced. Excess skin or tissues could be trimmed from various parts to improve the appearance. Freed slaves also were common customers of branding removal. While an expensive procedure, being able to mask the history of service as a slave was a valuable operation in Roman society.

Did you know...
The best known Roman doctor, Galen, studied medicine in Alexandria, Egypt and became the surgeon to a school of gladiators. Unusually for a Greek, he moved to Rome, where he revived Hippocrates' view on diseases.
Did you know...
Evidence provided by a skeleton found at Cappadocia indicates that the earliest brain surgery (trepanation) known in the world was performed over 6,000 years ago.

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A Roman doctor carrying out minor surgery on a patient
Roman Doctors

The majority of Roman doctors, at least early on, were self-taught or apprenticed practitioners who simply claimed to be healers, with little basis in real medical knowledge.

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An illustration of an ancient Roman hospital
Roman Hospitals

Hospitals as we know them today simply didn't exist in the Roman world. Romans generally regarded disease as an affliction of the gods requiring prayer, sacrifice and pagan rites to alleviate.

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An illustration of the Roman physician Claudius Galen
Claudius Galen

Galen (129 - 199 AD), after Hippocrates, may be the most prominent physician of the ancient world, and certainly of the Roman era. He had an exhaustive education and undertook in-depth research to advance medical knowledge of the time.

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A stone carving of a possible cosmetic surgery procedure in ancient Rome
Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic surgery was said to first be preformed in ancient Roman times. They preformed minor procedures such as Otoplasty, which is the repairing of damaged ears, and more complicated procedures like scar removal.

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Roman Medicine by Audrey Cruse
Roman Medicine
by Audrey Cruse

This comprehensive book looks at the many different aspects of medicine and health in the Roman Empire, especially with regard to doctors, their drugs and their surgical equipment.

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The Prince of Medicine: Galen in the Roman Empire by Susan P. Mattern
The Prince of Medicine: Galen in the Roman Empire
by Susan P. Mattern

The Prince of Medicine gives us Galen as he lived his life, in the city of Rome at its apex of power and decadence, among his friends, his rivals, and his patients. It offers a deeply human and long-overdue portrait of one of ancient history's most significant and engaging figures.

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Greek and Roman Medicine by Helen King
Greek and Roman Medicine
by Helen King

What happened if you fell sick in the classical world? This book looks at beliefs about the inside of the body and its functioning held in Greek and Roman society.

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Roman Military Medicine by V.J. Belfiglio and S.I. Sullivant
Roman Military Medicine
by V.J. Belfiglio and S.I. Sullivant

This book sheds light on the mostly obscure topic of medicine and its use in the Roman military. It explores the workings of the ancient healthcare system, the methods of care by physicians, and the treatments for different ailments and injuries.

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Power and Knowledge: Astrology, Physiognomics, and Medicine under the Roman Empire by Tamsyn Barton
Power and Knowledge: Astrology, Physiognomics, and Medicine under the Roman Empire
by Tamsyn Barton

Power and Knowledge charts a history of three ancient scientiae in the Roman Empire--astrology, medical prognosis, and physiognomy (the art of discerning character or destiny from a person's physique).

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Medicine and the Making of Roman Women: Gender, Nature, and Authority from Celsus to Galen by Rebecca Flemming
Medicine and the Making of Roman Women: Gender, Nature, and Authority from Celsus to Galen
by Rebecca Flemming

In this book, Dr Flemming includes new translations of some of the works of medical practitioners from Celsus, writing during the reign of Tiberius, to Galen, whose career ended under the Severans, and puts their ideas about women's bodies in their social and philosophical contexts.

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Army Medical Practices
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Human Dissection in Ancient Medicine
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Trying to Understand Galen's view on Medicine
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Egyptians, not Greeks were true fathers of medicine
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Advances In Medicine
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Evidence for Medics Amongst the Milites
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Roman Toilets Spread Parasites
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