Early Medieval Medicine: The Influence of Antiquity
In the early Middle Ages, Europe was recovering from the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Much of the scientific knowledge of antiquity, including medical texts by figures such as Hippocrates and Galen, had been lost or forgotten in the West. However, many of these texts were preserved in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and in the Islamic world. Early medieval medicine in Europe was thus a blend of remnants of Greco-Roman medical traditions, local folk remedies, and religious practices.
Most early medieval European medicine was based on the concept of the four humors—blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile—an idea that had been developed by Hippocrates and expanded upon by Galen. According to this theory, health was the balance of these four humors, and illness resulted from their imbalance. Treatments were often based on balancing the humors through diet, bloodletting, purging, and herbal remedies.
Monasteries played a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of medical knowledge during this period. Monks copied ancient texts and often served as the primary healers in rural communities. The Church's influence on medicine was profound, with many treatments being entwined with religious practices. For example, prayers and relics were often seen as essential parts of healing, and spiritual healing was considered as important as physical treatments. shutdown123