GREECE:HELLENISTIC

CIVILIZATION

practice but rather a diverse collection of

methods and beliefs.

Hellenistic civilization represents the

zenith of Greek influence in the ancient
world. It was preceded by the Classical
Hellenic period followed by Roman rule
over areas that Greece had conquered. Greek
culture, religion, art and literature were still
prominent in Romes rule, whose elite spoke
and read Greek and also Latin.

The god Asclepuis was considered as

a dispenser of healing but also a highly
skilled doctor. Grateful patients would often
come to him and they would reveal
problems that need to be treated like
blindness, snakebites, worms, lameness, and
aphasia. Asclepuis believes that there are bot
a divine and physical cause and remedy for
illnesses.

The spread of Hellenistic culture

started during the conquests of Alexander
the Great. He wanted to spread the Greek
culture throughout the whole empire but his
main purpose was to have control over his
new subjects. Alexander also attempted to
create a unified ruling class of Persians and
Greeks. Though he was more in favor of the
Greeks. He also tried to combined these two
cultures. He also unified an army placing the
Persians in the macedonian rank.
Alexanders ruling did spread Greek culture.
These kingdoms were influenced by the
indigenous culture, adopting local practices
that were beneficial, necessary and
convenient.
Hellenistic religion is a various
system of beliefs. Greek gods were
continued worshipped and the same rites
were practiced as before. Change came from
other countries including Egyptian gods and
goddesses. Magic was practiced widely.
People would consult oracles, use charms
and figurines to deter misfortune. Complex
system of astrology was used to determine a
persons character and future in the
movement of the sun, moon, and planets.
The ancient Greeks initially regarded
illness as a divine punishment and healing
was a gift from the gods. Greek medicine
was not a uniform body of knowledge and

The civilians often experienced

dehydration, hypothermia, and fever.
Doctors treating soldiers had to deal with
wounds made by swords, javelins, arrows
and projectiles from slings. Medical
practitioners knew the importance of
removing foreign bodies and how important
it was to stop excessive blood and to prevent
hemorrhage.
Surgery may also include the use of
anesthetics, though it was very rare at their
time. Post operations, wounds were closed
using stitches of flax or linen threads and the
wounds would be dressed in bandages and
sponges sometimes socked in water, wine,
oil, vinegar. Leaves could also be used for
the same purpose and wounds may also have
been sealed using egg white or honey. Post
operation treatment also includes the
importance of diet like the use of plants with
anti inflammatory action such as celery.
REFERENCE:
http://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Medicine
/
http://www.britannica.com/event/Helle
nistic-Age/Hellenistic-civilization
http://ancientgreece.org/history/helleninstic.html
http://www.timemaps.com/civilization/
Hellenistic-period
GROUPS 4, 5 ,6