CLAS2225 · Classical Studies
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
This course introduces students to the practice and theory of medicine in ancient Greece and Rome, from the archaic world of Homer (eighth century BCE) to late antiquity and early Christian healing practices. Themes will include shifting understandings of health and the body, revolutions in knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, ethical controversies over human and animal dissection, influential theories of pathology, psychology, pharmacology, and nutrition, the intersection of medicine and religion, and ancient ideas about doctors' responsibility, which, via the Hippocratic Oath, are still with us today. Students interested in history and literature will gain a richer sense of the importance of medicine in ancient society, and its connections to religion, magic and philosophy. Students from a medical and scientific background will discover how perceptions of the body have changed over time and from culture to culture.
Course experience
Averages use the original five-point historical evaluation scale.
Organization
4.7 / 5
How well the course was organized
Challenge
4.5 / 5
How intellectually challenging students found it
Attendance
4.7 / 5
How necessary attendance was
Assignments
4.4 / 5
How helpful assignments were
Weekly effort
~5
hours per week
Estimated from the original workload response buckets. Individual sections may differ.
Instructor options
Ratings below reflect only recovered evaluations connected to this course.
Across time
Section-level results available in the recovered archive.
Spring 2024
1 sectionSpring 2022
1 sectionSpring 2020
1 section