History of Epilepsy in Ancient Rome
From ancient times, epilepsy has been recognized as a neurological disorder involving recurrent seizures, with literature featuring numerous references suggesting that it has been around for at least 2000 years or more. Various ancient civilizations, such as those of Egypt, China and India, had established their own medicinal systems for the treatment of epilepsy. The Roman Empire was no exception, as the Romans had their own extensive medical knowledge about epilepsy.
Epilepsy in ancient Rome, which was also known as “the sacred disease”, was believed to be caused by supernatural forces or divine intervention. This belief was first popularized by the Greek physician Hippocrates in the 5th century BCE. He believed that epilepsy was associated with the power of gods, spirits or other supernatural forces. The ancient Romans further expanded this theory and believed that epileptic seizures were omens of some sort of divine judgement. As a result, epileptics in Rome were often treated with rituals and sacrifices in an attempt to appease the gods.
The most common approach to treating epilepsy in ancient Rome was what is known as magical healing, in which people would attempt to cure the disease through various superstitious practices, including offerings to gods, burning incense and using medicinal herbs. Despite the fact that this magical healing did not usually provide any lasting relief for epilepsy, it was still believed to have some sort of beneficial effect. This belief may have been reinforced by the fact that during epileptic seizures, patients often experienced temporary relief from the symptoms.
Roman physicians also developed a form of “rational” medicine for epilepsy, which involved the use of dietary regimens, drugs, and surgical treatments. For example, diet was believed to play an important role in the treatment of epilepsy, with physicians recommending diets rich in fresh fruit, vegetables, and nuts. Drugs such as opium, henbane, hyoscyamus, and mandrake were also prescribed in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms. If necessary, more invasive treatments such as surgical treatments and trepanation, which involved drilling into the skull, could also be used.
In addition to medical treatments, the ancient Romans also employed psychological treatments for epilepsy, such as distraction techniques and hypnosis. Hypnosis was believed to be especially effective in treating the disease, as it was thought that the patient would be able to focus on a non-existent object or events, thus distracting his or her mind from the epileptic fit. Hypnosis was also used to attempt to control the intensity of the epileptic seizure, as well as its duration.
Although Roman physicians and patients were unable to completely cure epilepsy, they were able to use a variety of treatments to alleviate its symptoms. This evidence suggests that the ancient Romans had a fairly good understanding of the disease and its treatment, although their treatments were often seen as superstitious or magical in nature. As such, what was known as “the sacred disease” in ancient Rome is now recognized as epilepsy.
Different Beliefs towards Epilepsy in Ancient Rome
The ancient Romans had a variety of different beliefs regarding epilepsy that indicated the power of gods or divine intervention. Various gods were believed to be responsible for causing the seizures, such as Jupiter, king of the gods, or Juno, goddess of marriage. Other gods or goddesses that were associated with epilepsy included Neptune, god of the sea, or Aesculapius, the god of healing. As a result, some believed that epileptic seizures were either signs from the gods or the results of some sort of divine punishment.
Furthermore, it was also believed that epileptic seizures could be caused by the faeries, who were thought to reside in the dark woods surrounding Rome. There were also notions of what is known as “evil eye”, in which it was believed that looking too deeply at someone with epilepsy could be responsible for their seizures. These superstitious beliefs were reflected in the treatment of epilepsy, with magical healing being the most common approach and various sacrifices being performed in an attempt to appease the gods.
Despite the fact that the Roman medical knowledge was based largely on superstitious beliefs, the ancient Roman physicians did recognize the physical cause of epilepsy and tried to treat it through rational medicine. This included dietary regimens, drugs, surgical treatments and psychological treatments. By combining these approaches, the Romans were able to provide some relief for epileptics and develop a better understanding of the condition.
Convulsions in Ancient Rome
The ancient Roman physicians also had their own terms for the different types of seizures caused by epilepsy. These terms included “convulsio” and “spasmos”, which were used to describe convulsions, as well as “clinia” and “lithorexis”, which were used to refer to altered states of consciousness. The ancient Romans also had terms for different types of epilepsy, such as “episodius” and “epilepsia”. These terms were in use until the 19th century when the terms “grand mal” and “petit mal” were used to describe the two main types of epilepsy.
Although the ancient Romans were able to identify the different types of seizures, they were unable to determine the accurate cause of epilepsy. Instead, they relied on a range of superstitious beliefs and magical treatments in order to treat the condition. As such, it wasn’t until much later in history that the true cause of epilepsy and its appropriate treatments began to be understood.
Epilepsy and Social Stigma in Ancient Rome
The ancient Romans believed that epilepsy was caused by the gods or supernatural forces. As a result, people with epilepsy were often treated with superstitious rituals and sacrifices in an attempt to appease the gods. As such, epileptics in Rome were often looked down upon and ostracized by society. This social stigma was further reinforced by a variety of laws that were put in place to restrict the rights of epileptics, such as the law of the Twelve Tables, which stated that epileptics were not allowed to marry.
Epileptics were also not allowed to participate in public ceremonies and were not permitted to make any official contracts or enter any legal proceedings. This meant that they were unable to take part in any official events, such as voting in the popular assemblies, and it was rare for them to be able to hold any official positions of power or influence. As such, epilepsy had a huge impact on the social life of epileptics in Ancient Rome, who were often excluded from society and treated with suspicion and mistrust.
The Ancient Roman Medical Treatments
Despite the fact that the medical treatments available in Ancient Rome were superstitious in nature, they did offer some relief for people with epilepsy. As such, many epileptics in Rome looked to these magical treatments in the hopes of relieving their symptoms, even though they were rarely successful. These treatments were also used in conjunction with other treatments, such as dietary regimens and drugs, in an effort to provide relief for the sufferers.
In addition to the magical treatments, Roman physicians also employed psychological treatments such as distraction techniques and hypnosis in an attempt to control the intensity and duration of seizures. Furthermore, surgery, although a much riskier option, was used in extreme cases in an effort to alleviate the symptoms. As such, although the medical treatments available in Ancient Rome were far from perfect, they did offer some relief for the sufferers of epilepsy.
Herbal Remedies for Epilepsy in Ancient Rome
Herbal remedies were also used extensively in Ancient Rome in the treatment of epilepsy. Numerous herbs were used in the form of infusions, teas, and poultices in an attempt to relieve the symptoms. Commonly used herbs included poppy, mandrake, henbane, and hyoscyamus, although the effectiveness of these treatments was largely unknown. As such, it is difficult to assess the efficacy of herbal remedies in the treatment of epilepsy.
The use of herbs was also combined with other magical treatments, such as offerings to the gods and burning incense, in an attempt to relieve the symptoms. Although it is highly unlikely that these treatments had any significant effect, they were still seen as beneficial by many in Ancient Rome who believed in the healing power of these herbal remedies.
New Discoveries about Epilepsy in Ancient Rome
Even though the ancient Romans lacked a detailed understanding of epilepsy, recent excavations have uncovered numerous documents which suggest that the ancient Romans had a fairly good idea about the causes and treatments of the condition. As such, numerous clay tablets, which contain detailed information about the treatments available, have been discovered at various archaeological sites in Italy. These documents provide evidence of the treatments employed by the ancient Romans and suggest that they had a more detailed understanding of the disorder than previously thought.
Furthermore, the excavations have also suggested that the ancient Romans had access to some of the same medical knowledge that is available today. For example, some of the documents suggest that they had knowledge of medications such as opium, which is still commonly used in the treatment of epilepsy, as well as various surgical techniques, such as trepanation, which is still practiced today.
It is clear, then, that the ancient Romans had a much better understanding of epilepsy than previously thought. Despite the fact that the treatments available were superstitious in nature, they did offer some relief for the sufferers of epilepsy in Ancient Rome. As such, this highlights the fact that even in ancient times, epilepsy was recognized as a neurological disorder and was treated accordingly.
