1.3.1
The Fall of Rome
The Downfall of Ancient Rome
The Downfall of Ancient Rome
A lot of medieval medicine was based on the theories of medicine that came from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
Wars
Wars
- By 530 AD (CE), there had been lots of wars in the Roman Empire, particularly in Western and Southern Europe.
- Rome itself was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 AD.
Government and infrastructure
Government and infrastructure
- These wars damaged or destroyed a lot of the libraries storing Ancient Roman/Greek medical knowledge.
- As the Roman Empire fell, their infrastructure also worsened.
Communication
Communication
- Empires became smaller, people travelled less and nations/kingdoms trusted each other less.
- This meant that there was less sharing of knowledge and less communication between doctors.
Superstitions about Disease in Medieval Medicine
Superstitions about Disease in Medieval Medicine
Alongside natural causes, doctors believed that supernatural causes could lead to illness. Some of the things that were believed to cause disease were:
God
God
- Many people thought that illness was God’s will. If someone did something bad (committed a sin), God could punish them with illness.
- Prayer and repentance were thought to be a way to make a person better after an illness/disease.
- To repent for bad deeds, many used prayers or flagellation (whipping yourself).
Witches and spirits
Witches and spirits
- Some people believed that supernatural spirits could live inside a person and cause illnesses.
- Some people in the Church did “exorcisms” to get these spirits out of people's bodies.
- Witches were also thought to be responsible for some diseases spreading across a town.
Astrology
Astrology
- These supernatural reasons were based on astrology (how the stars and planets were aligned).
- Astrology was first used in Arabic medicine but it was used in Europe after 1100.
- Doctors used star signs and an almanac (calendar showing planetary movements) to diagnose and treat diseases.
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
Jump to other topics
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
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