Health and Wellbeing in the Ancient World
Use literary and archaeological evidence to see how ancient Greeks and Romans approached health, well-being and societal issues.
Who is the course for?
There are no special requirements for this course, but an interest in the ancient world or classics might be useful.
What topics will you cover?
What is health? Ancient and modern perspectives on health and disease
Medicine, religion and magic
Using online resources
Vision: theories of sight, approaches to eye disease, including drugs and surgery
Body modifications
Diet and digestion
Human waste: using evidence from toilets and sewers
Conception and birth: theories and practices
Ideal bodies and disabled bodies
The health of the army: recruiting and treating soldiers
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…
Develop confidence in exploring the variety of fields that constitute classical studies.
Explore and become familiar with open-access resources for classical studies.
Develop the ability to critically analyse primary sources.
Apply and gain skills in analysing complex problems based on fragmentary evidence.
Engage with contemporary interpretations and scholarly debates.
