Doctors in ancient Rome faced skepticism and scorn, with poets ridiculing their greed, exploitation of patients, and incompetence. Pliny the Elder, in his “Natural History,” criticized the medical profession for their excessive fees, dubious remedies, and squabbling. While medical remedies have improved over time, surgical instruments have remained relatively unchanged. Recently, archaeologists unearthed a rare and perplexing set of these instruments in Hungary, providing insight into the advanced medical practices of first-century Romans.
The discovery in Jászberény, near Budapest, included a forceps, a curet, and three copper-alloy scalpels with detachable steel blades. The remains of a man, presumed to be a Roman citizen, were found alongside these tools. The excavation site, undisturbed for 2,000 years, also yielded a bone lever for realigning fractures and the handle of a potential skull-drilling tool. The collection of instruments sheds light on the sophisticated medical practices of ancient Rome and suggests that doctors may have traveled far and wide to offer their services.
Similar kits have been found throughout the Roman Empire, with the largest and most diverse collection discovered in Rimini, Italy, in 1989. This new finding in Hungary is described as one of the most extensive collections of first-century Roman medical instruments known. The discovery highlights the intercultural exchange and the porousness of cultural boundaries in the ancient world, demonstrating the physical evidence of these dynamics.
In ancient Rome, medical experts were highly regarded and were expected to possess certain qualities, as described by Aulus Cornelius Celsus in his treatise “De Medicina.” Many of these physicians were Greek or Greek speakers, and they often held low social standing, possibly due to their status as freedmen or slaves. The man buried with the medical instruments in Hungary was likely not a local and may have been traveling to treat a prestigious individual or accompanying Roman military movements.
Becoming a surgeon in ancient Rome required studying in urban centers of the empire, apprenticing with recognized doctors, and learning from large libraries and lectures. Some medics even interned in the army and gladiatorial schools to gain experience in treating combat wounds. Surgery in ancient Rome encompassed various procedures, ranging from treating polyps, inflamed tonsils, hemorrhoids, and fistulas to more radical surgeries such as mastectomy, amputation, hernia reduction, and cataract couching. Cesarean sections were not practiced until long after Julius Caesar’s birth, but embryotomy, a procedure to save the mother’s life, involved cutting the limbs of an infant stuck in the birth canal.
Surgery was often the last resort due to the lack of knowledge about sterilization or germ theory. Patients faced a high risk of death from sepsis and shock. The recently unearthed grave in Hungary, containing the well-preserved medical instruments, provides insights into the medical practices and beliefs of ancient Romans. The burial alongside the equipment may represent respect for the deceased or could be a tongue-in-cheek gesture by family and friends who wanted to disassociate themselves from the doctor’s poor skills. As researchers continue to study ancient artifacts, alternative explanations and critical thinking are necessary to avoid jumping to conclusions about their significance.
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