Ancient Greek medicine during Hellenistic age and the Roman Empire

Abstract

In the Hellenistic Age and during the Roman Empire the greatest influence on the development medicine was exerted by two philosophers: Plato and Aristotle. Their views demonstrated by individual approaches of physicians and medical trends of empiricists, scepticists, dogmatists, methodologists and others. Beginning from the 1st century BC the overwhelming activity of Greek medicine practitioners was transferred to Rome where the most outstanding physicians such as Archagatos, Asclepiades, Temison, Soranos, Athenois, Archigenes and others appeared. In 46 BC all free foreigners practising in Rome were granted citizenship. In the first centuries of the Roman Empire medical practitioner were exempted from tax obligation and released from the performance of public service duties.

Keywords

• hellenistic age
• medical trends at the turn of millennia
• greek physicians in rome