Roman medicine was heavily influenced by Greek medicine. When a plague broke out in Rome in 293 BC, the Romans used an Asclepion, a Greek medical temple, to combat the disease. Most Roman doctors in the 1st to 3rd centuries AD were non-citizens, slaves, or freedmen, and a majority were ethnically Greek, showing Rome's reliance on Greek medical knowledge and skills due to the low social standing of doctors in Roman society. This reliance on Greek doctors decreased after Julius Caesar granted citizenship to doctors.

1. Roman Medicine Lesson Aim: Examination of the influence of Greek Medicine & Impact of Public Health

2. The Impact of Greek Medicine The impact the Greeks made on Rome can be seen in several ways. One is the use of an Asclepion in Rome to combat the plague that broke out in the city in 293 BC. The second is the use of Greek doctors – look at this table.

3. Social and Ethnic status of Roman Doctors from 1 st to 3 rd century AD 80 353 442 Total 74 23 31 Foreign (Non citizens) 98 54 55 Slaves 93 158 170 Freedmen 63 118 186 Citizens % Greek Greek Total

4. Why such a heavy reliance on the Greeks? This was due to the low social standing doctors had in Roman society. When Julius Caesar made a decree giving doctors citizenship and the doctors who treated the rich could also become rich themselves.