DSBcB48 Archaeology of Ancient Medicine

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Alušík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Tomáš Alušík, Ph.D.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 11 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course gives a basic overview of the medicine in the Classical antiquity from their prehistoric origins (Mesolithic/Neolithic) until the end of Antiquity. It will present the gradual evolution of medicine from the humble beginnings of healing and trauma treatment, through the gradual progress and fixing of the invasive and non-invasive procedures (traditions) and formation of the medical theories up to the development of the actual medical literature and the individual medical specializations – i.e., from the natural healing to the “art” of healing. An integral part of the ancient medicine was naturally its religious sphere.
The lectures and interpretation will be based especially on the archaeological sources (human skeletal remains, instruments used for medicinal purposes, architectural remains, articles of daily use, works of art etc.) and will be focused rather on the Greek medicine. The course is structured into six basic topics (introduction, palaeopathology, origins, deities, sites, personalities).
Learning outcomes
After the course completion, a student will be well informed about the problems of the material culture of the ancient medicine. S/he will know the main healing deities and heroi, the most significant medical figures and literary sources to the ancient medicine. At the same time, s/he will be familiarized with the basic characteristics of the state of health of the ancient populations (with regard to palaeopathology).
After the course completion, a student will:
- know a range of the interdisciplinary aspects of the ancient medicine
- be familiar with palaeopathological and palaeodemographical methods and terminology
- know the main groups of pathologies/diseases and medical interventions documented in the human skeletal remains
- be oriented in the problems related to the prehistoric origins of the ancient medicine
- know the main deities and heroi
- know the main sites, where the (actual) healing was done or a healing cult was practised
- know the most significant figures of the ancient medicine and their literary works
Syllabus
  • 1) Introduction (terminology, chronology, sources, methods, the course contents)
  • 2) Palaeopathology (pathologies/diseases and medical interventions in the human skeletal remains)
  • 3) Greek prehistoric and archaic medicine (before 500 BC)
  • 4) Healing deities (the individual deities, heroi, dedications)
  • 5) Main sites (asklepieia, temples, peak sanctuaries)
  • 6) The most significant figures of the ancient medicine
  • 7) Finishing of one of the previous topics, or a case study
Literature
    required literature
  • BAKER, P. 2013. The Archaeology of Medicine in the Greco-Roman World. Cambridge University Press.
  • STAMPOLIDIS, N. Chr., TASSOULAS, Y. (eds.) 2014. HYGIEIA. Health, Illness, Treatment from Homer to Galen. Athens.
  • VAN DER EIJK, P. 2011. Medicine and Health in the Graeco-Roman World. In: JACKSON, M. (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine. Oxford University Press, s. 21-39.
  • HORÁČKOVÁ, Ladislava, Eugen STROUHAL and Lenka VARGOVÁ. Základy paleopatologie (Bases of Palaepathology). Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, Masarykova univerzita v Brně, 2004, 260 pp. Panoráma biologické a sociokulturní antropologie. ISBN 80-7204-274-2. info
    recommended literature
  • NUTTON, V. 2013. Ancient Medicine. 2nd Ed., Routledge.
  • RIETHMÜLLER, J. W. 2005. Asklepios: Heiligtümer und Kulte. Heidelberg.
  • IRBY, G. L. (ed.) 2016. Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World: A Companion to Science, Technology and Medicine in Ancient Greece and Rome, vol. I.: Part V. Healing and the Human Body, s. 343-515.
Teaching methods
Lectures. The lecturer reserves a right to assign a home reading (originals, translations and/or modern academic texts) for the preparation for some lectures.
Assessment methods
Colloquium – a dialogue on some of the (sub)topics that were dealt with in the course. In case of minimal 50% attendance, the colloquium will be shorter (in the opposite case it will be longer).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every other week.
Teacher's information
Recommended literature specification:

IRBY, G. L. (ed.) 2016. A Companion to Science, Technology and Medicine in Ancient Greece and Rome, kapitoly:

Anatomy and Physiology;

Gynecology;

Surgery;

Physicians and “Schools”;

Pharmacy;

Magic, Curses, and Healing;

Healing Shrines;

Regimen and Athletic Training;

Epidemiology and Pathology;

Psychology and Physiognomics;

Anthropology: Knowledge of Man.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/DSBcB48