Abstract

In the context of the high morbidity and mortality of children in the ancient Roman society, the thesis has studied different interventions towards health in childhood during the second century AD. Its aim is to provide interpretations whether these interventions were specific towards children and if so in what way. 520 loci from 44 books by the physician and philosopher Galen (129-217? AD) have been analysed through several readings.

The thesis is interdisciplinary and link together the research area of Ancient Graeco-Roman Medical History with that of Social History of Roman Childhood. The study also fills an analytic gap between these two fields. Furthermore it broadens the theorical perspective of the earlier studies of childhood health in the Ancient Roman Society, partly by its focus on epistemology and rhetorics. These questions will be discussed in the seminar:

1. Galen’s general views on knowledge
2.  Galen’s general views on rhetorics
3.  Galen’s views on the knowledge of the Art of Medicine
4.  Galen’s views on the knowledge of the medical treatment of children: practice, theory and specificity of interventions in childhood

Hybrid seminar.

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