Skin Epics: The mysteries of skin in ancient Greek medical heritage, myths and legends, and urban legends
In the rich and long medical tradition of Greece, the history of dermatology is characterized by its long existence, both ancient and contemporary.
The pronounced appearance of skin diseases is one of the reasons why it has attracted medical attention. In fact, although dermatology did not become a medical subspecialty until the late 18th century, many concepts about skin diseases and their treatments date back to ancient times.
In ancient Greece, skin diseases were described as manifestations of the pathology of humoral bodies, based on the theory of four "liquids" (phlegm, yellow bile, black bile, and blood) derived from the theory of the four elements (earth, water, air, and fire) and their four corresponding properties (dry, wet, cold, and hot).
The theory of the four bodily fluids was first proposed by Hippocrates of Kos (460-370 BC), who is considered the founder of medical science and ruled medicine for more than two thousand years.
In ancient Greek mythology, Asclepius was the god of semi-medicine, the son of the divine Apollo, who was married to Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health. Asclepius was killed by a thunderbolt thrown by Zeus, and suffered a tragic end.
This is because the Father of the Gods saw Asclepius and his medical skills as a threat to the eternal division between humans and the gods, especially after rumors that Asclepius' healing powers were so powerful that he could even bring the dead back to life.
For hundreds of years, the cult of Asclepius established several sanctuaries called Asclepion in Thessaly, Epidarus, Kos, Athens, Corinth, Pergamon, and many other places in Greece.
Asclepieions was the first original healthcare infrastructure in Europe, serving patients from all over Greece from the early 4th century BC to the advent of Christianity in Greece in the 5th century AD.
There, the descendants of Asclepius, known as Asclepius or Asclepiades, continued to practice medicine and healing, and instructed patients in the rituals of purification and "incubation". The inscriptions preserved in these sanctuaries record many patients who received treatment for skin diseases there.
Ancient Greek medical texts mainly include the writings of Hippocrates and Galen and the writings of Pedanius Dioscorides, Irasistratus, and Herophilos of Carcedon, often describing certain skin diseases.
The Greeks, who pioneered the field of medicine, divided skin diseases into psoralen, leprosy, and Leichen's disease. Alopecia, erysipelas, impetigo, vitiligo, melasma, itching, etc., are also recognizable for their distinctive features.
Hippocrates believed that doctors should do the opposite of the disease, such as applying a desiccant to a damp area and an emollient to a dry area. He describes a variety of topical treatments using a variety of natural ingredients such as herbs, honey, spring water, goose fat or lard, tar, and white wine, and uses dilation and curettage and cautery to remove superficial skin tumors.
Elius Galenus was a Greek physician and philosopher who was born in the ancient Greek city of Pergamon. Galen, arguably the most accomplished of all the medical researchers of antiquity, was the first to identify the skin as a tactile organ, focusing on the peculiar features of the thick skin of the palm in order to make complete contact with the object it grasped.
Antony's plague was an ancient epidemic in the Roman Empire, also known as Galen's plague because he was the first to describe a blistering rash that covered the entire body of his victims. He was also the first to write a book entirely about skin diseases and to divide them into furry and non-furry parts of the body. Until around the mid-18th century, this classification system influenced and remained the backbone of modern dermatology.
The first figure in ancient Greek mythology to be associated with dermatology was Paion, the healer of the gods. In Homer's epic poems, Paion is described as a god of healing who uses a combination of various herbs, ointments, and other therapies to treat the wounds of Mars and Hades.
In classical antiquity, the word Paion was associated with Asclepius and even the god Apollo, and his name became synonymous with skin therapists.
Several places in ancient Greece, especially the Peloponnese, claimed to be sites for the treatment of skin ailments, including the healing springs of Anne Grede's nymphs. The Anigrides are nymphs of the Anigrus River in the ancient tri-yalia country, and it is believed that they live in a sacred grotto that is visited by people suffering from skin diseases.
In Hesiod mythology, Proitids, the daughter of Proitos, king of Tirin, were punished for their contempt for Zeus' wife, Hera, for being disfigured by a disgusting skin disease. They think they have turned into cows and suffer from vitiligo and a skin condition that causes hair loss.
Melampus was a legendary soothsayer and healer who healed the girls, had them perform ritual bathing on the Anigrus River, and obtained the marriage of a princess.
The water is said to cure skin diseases, including leprosy, elephantiasis, and scabies. The patient was cured by praying and offering sacrifices to the nymphs and bathing in the river. It is also said that Alpheus was so named because it could treat vitiligo.
