Stosunek do leczenia wodą w starożytnym Rzymie
Attitudes towards the Use of Water for Healing in Ancient Rome

Author(s): Mariya Avramova
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: water; healing; bathing; balneotherapy; medicine;ancient Rome;
Summary/Abstract: The medicinal properties of water and bathing were quite early recognized by ancient physicians and were extensively used in Greek medicine. Such methods of treatment were also used in Rome; however, ancient texts demonstrate that not all of them were eagerly accepted. The paper aims at showing the complex attitude towards the use of bathing for medicinal purposes in Rome. This is done through the presentation of selected literary sources and their confrontation with archaeological evidence from Roman healing spas, situated in Italy. Based on the presented information we can conclude that even though the effectiveness of bathing as a medicinal method was questioned by some, archaeological and epigraphic sources demonstrate that it was a common and frequently used healing procedure.

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