The Treatment of War Wounds in Graeco-Roman Antiquity (review)

Abstract

It is self-evident to anyone who studies the classical world that war was a fact of life, and that wounds were common. It is less obvious that sufficient testimonia survive to allow for an entire book on their treatment. Christine Salazar has gathered a surprising amount of material and crafted it into a splendidly detailed and comprehensive account. The book, which began as a doctoral dissertation under the direction of the distinguished G. E. R. Lloyd, falls essentially into two quite distinct parts. The first, titled "Wounds and Their Treatment," deals with the nitty-gritty of the subject: the sources of information available, types of wounds and their effects, the weapons accounting for wounds, surgical intervention and pharmaceutical applications, medical personnel in Greek and Roman armies, and the criteria for distinguishing professional practitioners from laymen.