Press Releases
Roman Remedies
Date:
2009-03-23Evening talk at the National Roman Legion Museum explores Roman medicine
Imagine if your doctor prescribed you with a salt water bath with an electric ray fish or having your blood sucked out with a hot metal cup! If you were a Roman these are some of the methods that your doctor would have used.
Attendees to a talk by Roger Morgan at the National Roman Legion Museum from 6 – 8pm on 25 March 2009 will find out how their ailments would have been treated by the Romans, who were actually very good at medicine.
From surgeons to dentists, they had experts who could treat almost any kind of condition. Mr Morgan will investigate the Roman medical system. He will disclose information about the people who practiced these medical skills and from where their knowledge originated.
“The major influence on Roman medicine came from the Greeks and many Roman doctors were Greek or of Greek decent,” said Mr Morgan. “For example, Galan was Greek. He rose to become surgeon to the Emperor Marcus Aurileus after studying in Alexandria and at gladiatorial training camps.
“Initially a patient visited a temple to make an offering to the gods. They used to present a model of the part of the body which needed to be treated. If that didn’t work and could afford it, they would then go and see a doctor. Their wealth decided what kind of doctor could treat them.”
Tickets for the Roman Medicine talk cost £3 each and can be purchased at the National Roman Legion Museum or by phoning 01633 423 134.
Entry to all the museums is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.
Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.
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For further information, please contact Catrin Mears, Communications Officer, National Roman Legion Museum on 029 2057 3185 or email catrin.mears@museumwales.ac.uk.