Medicine & Health Care in Roman Britain

Dr Nick Summerton

Wednesday, 19th October, 2022. Senhouse Roman Museum, Maryport

9.30am – 5.00pm

Tickets: £25 can be booked by contacting the museum – 01900 816168

Finding ways to cope with illnesses and injuries have been constant concerns throughout all human history. Written records together with archaeological finds from sites such as Alauna (Maryport) have painted a vivid picture of the medical care provided to both the military and the civilian inhabitants of Roman Britain.

But, by rigidly adopting a 21^st Century view, it is all-to-easy to dismiss or denigrate aspects of ancient medicine and yet to overplay others significantly.

• Did any of the medical or surgical treatments being offered by the Greco-Roman healers work?
• Should we dismiss dream therapy or pilgrimages to healing sites – such as Bath or Coventina`s Well – as gimmicks?
• In the Roman world what was the balance between prevention, treatment and hospital care?
• Are aqueducts, drains and bathhouses really a reflection of the Roman concern for the public health?
• Can modern doctors learn anything from their Roman forbears about looking, listening and speaking with patients?

These questions – and more besides – will be explored using practical sessions, interactive discussions, lectures, in addition to an examination of key finds from Alauna (Maryport) and the surrounding area.