Topics in Ancient Science and Technology (314-0-1)

Topic

Ancient Medicine

Instructors

Nicholas Laurence Winters

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 214: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

We will study the theory and practice of Greek and Roman medicine, looking at ancient texts in translation, ancient artifacts and materials, and some modern scholarship. As a term project, students will learn to think like ancient physicians, diagnosing and prescribing treatments for patients from the Hippocratic case studies. During class discussion, we will engage critically with primary sources and examine the differences between ancient and modern science from a balanced historical perspective. We will also investigate the social, cultural, and economic forces that have affected the development of western medicine throughout its history.

Class Materials (Required)

Lloyd, G. E. R. Hippocratic Writings. Penguin Classics. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1983. ISBN 978-0140444513.

McKeown, J. C. A. Cabinet of Ancient Medical Curiosities: Strange Tales and Surprising Facts from the Healing Arts of Greece and Rome. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016. ISBN 978-0190610449.

Upson-Saia, Kristi, Heidi Marx, and Jared Secord. 2023. Medicine, Health, and Healing in the Ancient Mediterranean (500 BCE-600 CE): A Sourcebook. University of California Press.

Class Notes

Waitlist information for this course can be found here: https://classics.northwestern.edu/courses/2024-2025/classics-waitlist.html

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Historical Studies Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-Registration -- Reserved for Classics majors or minors.