Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 2014
In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results ... more In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results of medical contests that took place at the city over the two days of the Great Asclepieia during the 2nd century CE. Because of the fragmentary character of the inscriptions and the lack of literary sources, origin, proceedings and purpose of these competitions were vigorously debated among both doctors and classical scholars, however, the context of these unique contests was neglected. The aim of this paper is to offer a new frame of interpretation for the medical contests by setting the epigraphic evidence in a broader context. On the basis of other Ephesian inscriptions and references in the oeuvre of Galen, it will be argued that the participants belonged to a close, intellectual circle with connections to the emperors and the elite. Thus the competition should not to be viewed as a common practice for choosing civic physicians, but as public medical lectures or presentations (epideixis), which were very p...
While in modern healthcare the education and training, hence the identification (medical diploma,... more While in modern healthcare the education and training, hence the identification (medical diploma, medical license) of physicians is regulated by the state, during the classical antiquity medicine was considered to be a craft (techne / ars), therefore practice of medicine was seen as private matter and consequently was not regulated. So, if no identification is provided by the state, how could laymen decide that the person in front of them was a doctor or not? The aim of my paper is to investigate, how Greeks and Romans identified physicians, how they distinguished physicians from other healers and laymen. Examining literary and legal texts I will argue that the community has decided who was (and who was not) a doctor, consequently, the decision was based rather on the success rate and moral virtues of the person, than on his knowledge of medicine.
The outlines of the changes of the term archiatros and his Latin equivalent archiater are clear: ... more The outlines of the changes of the term archiatros and his Latin equivalent archiater are clear: initially the word denoted a court physician but in the 2nd Century CE, a new meaning appeared, that of a public physician. Only in late antiquity can one identify archiatros as an honorary title, one denoting a famous, skilled doctor. The inscription of C. Proculeius Themison from Alexandria (7 CE) does not fit into this scheme. In this paper, I argue that the title of Themison should be viewed as an honorary one, indicating that the honorary usage of archiatros began sooner, as previously thought. The inscription from Themison also affords an opportunity to re-examine the term archiatros, and to investigate, whether the use of the term in a flattering manner can be traced in Greek and Latin inscriptions.
In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results ... more In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results of medical contests that took place at the city over the two days of the Great Asclepieia during the 2nd century CE. Because of the fragmentary character of the inscriptions and the lack of literary sources, origin, proceedings and purpose of these competitions were vigorously debated among both doctors and classical scholars, however, the context of these unique contests was neglected. The aim of this paper is to offer a new frame of interpretation for the medical contests by setting the epigraphic evidence in a broader context. On the basis of other Ephesian inscriptions and references in the oeuvre of Galen, it will be argued that the participants belonged to a close, intellectual circle with connections to the emperors and the elite. Thus the competition should not to be viewed as a common practice for choosing civic physicians, but as public medical lectures or presentations (epideixis), which were very popular at the time. The Great Asclepieia of Ephesus provided an excellent opportunity for this elite body of physicians to demonstrate their medical proficiency and competence to the community, and to show their talent to wealthier patients.
Studies on inscriptions of physicians found in Pannonia concentrated
mainly on the social status ... more Studies on inscriptions of physicians found in Pannonia concentrated mainly on the social status of physicians, regarding their legal and perhaps financial status. There is, however, another perspective regarding healers, that of the health care system of the Empire, which consisted of civic, military and private physicians, assistants of doctors, pharmacists and other healers, e.g. priests or magicians. My aim in this paper is to examine the Pannonian health care system and the role of physicians in this system by re-examining the inscriptions of physicians from the province. I will compare the local health care with the imperial, reflecting on the absence of civic physicians and the large number of physicians in the army of Pannonia.
I. Kaić, M. Cvetko, H. Tomas (eds.), Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd International Doctoral Student Conference on Archaeology (IDSCA), Zagreb 2021., 2021
U zborniku su prikazani rezultati istraživanja vezanih uz teme doktorskih radova autora koji su 2... more U zborniku su prikazani rezultati istraživanja vezanih uz teme doktorskih radova autora koji su 2015. i 2018. godine sudjelovali na međunarodnom skupu International Doctoral Student Conference on Archaeology (IDSCA). Skupove je organizirao Arheološki zavod Odsjeka za arheologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 2014
In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results ... more In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results of medical contests that took place at the city over the two days of the Great Asclepieia during the 2nd century CE. Because of the fragmentary character of the inscriptions and the lack of literary sources, origin, proceedings and purpose of these competitions were vigorously debated among both doctors and classical scholars, however, the context of these unique contests was neglected. The aim of this paper is to offer a new frame of interpretation for the medical contests by setting the epigraphic evidence in a broader context. On the basis of other Ephesian inscriptions and references in the oeuvre of Galen, it will be argued that the participants belonged to a close, intellectual circle with connections to the emperors and the elite. Thus the competition should not to be viewed as a common practice for choosing civic physicians, but as public medical lectures or presentations (epideixis), which were very p...
While in modern healthcare the education and training, hence the identification (medical diploma,... more While in modern healthcare the education and training, hence the identification (medical diploma, medical license) of physicians is regulated by the state, during the classical antiquity medicine was considered to be a craft (techne / ars), therefore practice of medicine was seen as private matter and consequently was not regulated. So, if no identification is provided by the state, how could laymen decide that the person in front of them was a doctor or not? The aim of my paper is to investigate, how Greeks and Romans identified physicians, how they distinguished physicians from other healers and laymen. Examining literary and legal texts I will argue that the community has decided who was (and who was not) a doctor, consequently, the decision was based rather on the success rate and moral virtues of the person, than on his knowledge of medicine.
The outlines of the changes of the term archiatros and his Latin equivalent archiater are clear: ... more The outlines of the changes of the term archiatros and his Latin equivalent archiater are clear: initially the word denoted a court physician but in the 2nd Century CE, a new meaning appeared, that of a public physician. Only in late antiquity can one identify archiatros as an honorary title, one denoting a famous, skilled doctor. The inscription of C. Proculeius Themison from Alexandria (7 CE) does not fit into this scheme. In this paper, I argue that the title of Themison should be viewed as an honorary one, indicating that the honorary usage of archiatros began sooner, as previously thought. The inscription from Themison also affords an opportunity to re-examine the term archiatros, and to investigate, whether the use of the term in a flattering manner can be traced in Greek and Latin inscriptions.
In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results ... more In 1904 an excavation in Ephesus brought to light a series of inscriptions recording the results of medical contests that took place at the city over the two days of the Great Asclepieia during the 2nd century CE. Because of the fragmentary character of the inscriptions and the lack of literary sources, origin, proceedings and purpose of these competitions were vigorously debated among both doctors and classical scholars, however, the context of these unique contests was neglected. The aim of this paper is to offer a new frame of interpretation for the medical contests by setting the epigraphic evidence in a broader context. On the basis of other Ephesian inscriptions and references in the oeuvre of Galen, it will be argued that the participants belonged to a close, intellectual circle with connections to the emperors and the elite. Thus the competition should not to be viewed as a common practice for choosing civic physicians, but as public medical lectures or presentations (epideixis), which were very popular at the time. The Great Asclepieia of Ephesus provided an excellent opportunity for this elite body of physicians to demonstrate their medical proficiency and competence to the community, and to show their talent to wealthier patients.
Studies on inscriptions of physicians found in Pannonia concentrated
mainly on the social status ... more Studies on inscriptions of physicians found in Pannonia concentrated mainly on the social status of physicians, regarding their legal and perhaps financial status. There is, however, another perspective regarding healers, that of the health care system of the Empire, which consisted of civic, military and private physicians, assistants of doctors, pharmacists and other healers, e.g. priests or magicians. My aim in this paper is to examine the Pannonian health care system and the role of physicians in this system by re-examining the inscriptions of physicians from the province. I will compare the local health care with the imperial, reflecting on the absence of civic physicians and the large number of physicians in the army of Pannonia.
I. Kaić, M. Cvetko, H. Tomas (eds.), Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd International Doctoral Student Conference on Archaeology (IDSCA), Zagreb 2021., 2021
U zborniku su prikazani rezultati istraživanja vezanih uz teme doktorskih radova autora koji su 2... more U zborniku su prikazani rezultati istraživanja vezanih uz teme doktorskih radova autora koji su 2015. i 2018. godine sudjelovali na međunarodnom skupu International Doctoral Student Conference on Archaeology (IDSCA). Skupove je organizirao Arheološki zavod Odsjeka za arheologiju Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.
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Papers by Ákos Zimonyi
mainly on the social status of physicians, regarding their legal and perhaps financial status. There is, however, another perspective regarding healers, that of the health care system of the Empire, which consisted of civic, military and private physicians, assistants of doctors, pharmacists and other healers, e.g. priests or magicians. My aim in this paper is to examine the Pannonian health care system and the role of physicians in this system by re-examining the inscriptions of physicians from the province. I will compare the local health care with the imperial, reflecting on the absence of civic physicians and the large number of physicians in the army of Pannonia.
Books by Ákos Zimonyi
mainly on the social status of physicians, regarding their legal and perhaps financial status. There is, however, another perspective regarding healers, that of the health care system of the Empire, which consisted of civic, military and private physicians, assistants of doctors, pharmacists and other healers, e.g. priests or magicians. My aim in this paper is to examine the Pannonian health care system and the role of physicians in this system by re-examining the inscriptions of physicians from the province. I will compare the local health care with the imperial, reflecting on the absence of civic physicians and the large number of physicians in the army of Pannonia.