Hernia in ancient Hellenic art. A paradigm of blended courses of anatomy and surgery, or a votive offering in theurgical medicine? 14 views

Abstract

Hernia was a common problem in Hellenic antiquity as we may infer by a plethora of references in ancient Greek and especially in Byzantine medical literature. However, in ancient Greek art there discovered only two examples representing this rather common surgical entity. Hernia is depicted in two Hellenistic terracotta figurines, one male and one female. They were part of a course in an ancient school or votive offerings in a sacred ancient temple. Although surgery was an existent medical branch at the era, it seems that only a radical ablation, probably fatal, was performed by medico-philosophers and surgeons.

Keywords

• hernia
• ancient Hellenic art
• ancient Greek medicine
• Smyrna