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They were often in settings of spectacular natural beauty. The main Asklepeion in ancient Greece was in Epidaurus. It was similar to a modern spa in that the patients were offered special purifying baths, followed by a diet – what we would call a detox diet today – that lasted for several days.
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Ancient healing, however, involved more than just healthy food and dream analysis. From the writings of Hippocrates, the best-known ancient physician, we learn that ancient doctors knew how to heal infected wounds by lancing, draining and cleaning them. They also knew how to use herbs to treat a spectrum of illnesses
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Surgery was also part of the ancient physician’s vast repertoire. The famous Greek physician, Galen, successfully removed cataracts from the eyes with the use of a needle.
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Archaeologists have revealed other medical practices in the ancient world. Skeletal remains show evidence of quite surprising surgical procedures. Skulls have been excavated that show signs of trepanation – a procedure still used today in which a hole is drilled into the skull to relieve pressure caused by head trauma
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Excavations in Israel have also revealed evidence of ancient dental procedures. In a desert grave, a 2,200-year-old skull was found that had a dental filling, which was a very short bronze wire placed into the tooth. Elsewhere, in the catacombs of Rome, which were used from the 1st to the 5th centuries AD, skulls were found with gold fillings. Not surprisingly, further information about ancient health care can be found in the graves of ancient doctors. Depicted in stone tablets are the instruments they used. These objects are almost identical to the cutting-edge instruments used by doctors and surgeons today.
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