In my previous post, I wrote about the appreciation shown towards healthcare workers during the current pandemic. Not just during this crisis, but people, in general, have a lot of respect for the medical profession. Unfortunately, it seems it wasn’t so in the Ancient Roman civilization.
Medicine wasn’t a very highly regarded profession in Ancient Rome. One of the main reasons for this was because many doctors were actually freed Greek slaves, so they were not respected very much. Also, becoming a doctor required no formal training -- it was mostly from apprenticeship. As a result, there was a lot of trial and error in treating patients, which resulted in a low success rate and therefore, skepticism and even scorn towards doctors.
Medicine wasn’t a very highly regarded profession in Ancient Rome. One of the main reasons for this was because many doctors were actually freed Greek slaves, so they were not respected very much. Also, becoming a doctor required no formal training -- it was mostly from apprenticeship. As a result, there was a lot of trial and error in treating patients, which resulted in a low success rate and therefore, skepticism and even scorn towards doctors.
"Some doctors charge the most excessive prices for the most worthless medicines and drugs, and others in the craft attempt to deal with and treat diseases they obviously do not understand."
Another reason the Romans had no respect for doctors was that most Romans regarded disease as an affliction caused by angry gods and believed they could only be cured by prayers and sacrificial rituals meant to appease the gods. They had, therefore, little faith in the healing capability of doctors who were mere mortals. It was only after the 1st century AD, when formal medical schools were established, that the medical profession began to gain respect. Even then, surgeons were considered more useful and important than doctors.
It was finally Galen, another Greek doctor, who changed the view of the medical profession in Rome. Galen had formally studied medicine in Alexandria, Egypt, and moved to Rome as a surgeon for gladiators. Studied anatomy through animal dissection and demonstrating it for the Roman public earned him respect and the coveted post of personal physician to the son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Galen, who was a follower of Hippocrates' teachings, helped establish medicine as a highly regarded science in Rome through his extensive writings and teachings.
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