Ancient Greek and Roman Medicine

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Introduction to Greek and Roman medicine in its intellectual and cultural context. Examination of construction of concepts such as health, disease, physician, man, woman, cause, and difference. Readings from Greek literature and healing in cult of Asclepius. Readings of texts from Hippocratic collection, thought to be close to practice and theory of 5th-century BCE Greek physician, relating them to medical practice, competition for students and patients, intellectual display, developing scientific methods, ethnography, and Greek philosophy. Discussion of plagues as attempts to view such outbreaks as social phenomena. Examination of how Hippocratic understanding of how--or whether--we can know about what happens inside body was developed and challenged in 3rd-century BCE Alexandria. Study of Prince of Physicians, Galen, champion of Hippocratic medicine, influential into 18th century. P/NP or letter grading.

Review Summary

Clarity
8.3 / 10
Organization
8.3 / 10
Time
5-10 hrs/week
Overall
8.3 / 10

Reviews

    Quarter Taken: Winter 2023 In-Person
    Grade: A+

    It's a good idea to at least skim the weekly readings, since the writing assignments are based on them. Professor Blank also goes over the readings in lecture, so that definitely helped out too!

Course

Instructor
David Blank
Previously taught
23W 20F

Grading Information

  • No group projects

  • Attendance not required

  • 1 midterm

  • Finals week final

  • 100% recommend the textbook

Previous Grades

Grade distributions not available.