17.08.2020
7 Dakika
Medicine has been one of the most vital endeavors in human history. Wherever and whenever there have been human beings, there has been a search not only for healing, but also for better and healthier lives. This has historically been achieved through both faith-based methods and research, sometimes using natural and sometimes human-made products, and has led to the continuous advancement of medicine. The contribution of prolonging human life and improving the quality of life to the development of civilization is undeniable. So, in what areas and what practices were adopted for this purpose in the past? As Turkish Museums, we searched for the answers to this question in Anatolia in our “History of Medicine” video series.
The ancient city of Knidos, the first stop of our series, was built on a magnificent coastline in the Datça district of Muğla, which connects the Aegean and the Mediterranean, and is dated by archaeologists to the first half of 2000 BC.
Let's explore the history of Knidos, which was home to a prestigious medical school in ancient times and physicians whose fame spread around the world:
Located on Cape Tekir where the Aegean and the Mediterranean Seas meet, Knidos is one of the important centers of the ancient eras. One of the Carian cities, it was founded by combining the mainland and the rocky island in front of it. The western harbor was used by warships and the eastern harbor was used by merchant ships.
The ancient city of Knidos turned into a medical center in the 5th-6th centuries BC and formed its own medical school. Thanks to medical specialists born and raised in the city, as well as health researchers who came here from other cities to be a part of this school, Knidos became a center of healing and medical research in ancient times. Founded by Euryphon, a contemporary of Hippocrates, the physicians of this school worked in the Persian, Macedonian, and Carian courts. It is known that Euryphon was a master in distinguishing the sounds of the lungs, and he defined pulmonary tuberculosis known as “phytiasis”. Herodicus, another famous physician of this school, attributed health problems to the imbalance between nutrition and physical activity, and prescribed a strict diet, continuous physical activity, and regular training, which can be considered the basis of today's “healthy living” philosophy.
In addition to its contributions to the field of medicine in humanity’s history, Knidos offers its visitors a fascinating view and interesting ancient buildings. In the city, which was built in terraces due to its topographical structure, the Dionysus Terrace is located at the intersection of the western and eastern harbors and is home to the Dionysus Temple. Round Temple Terrace, another interesting point of the city, stands out with its dominant position over the city’s two harbors. On this terrace, located at the highest point of the city, visitors encounter an extraordinary view in blue and green.
Knidos was a city that attached great importance to arts and culture in ancient times. The biggest proof of this is the presence of two theaters in the city, one large and one small. In addition, the statue of Aphrodite of Knidos (Naked Aphrodite), made by Praxiteles, one of the most important sculptors of antiquity, was discovered in this ruin, and although it has not survived to the present day, it is very important in terms of art history and many copies of it were produced. The pedestal of this statue, which is considered one of the first life-size nude female statues in history, can still be seen in the Knidos Archaeological Site.
Knidos, one of the important medical, art and trade centers of the ancient period, awaits its visitors with its magnificent location. When you visit the Knidos Archaeological Site, don't forget to watch the healing sunset views and take a deep, refreshing breath at the top by visiting Deveboynu Lighthouse! Also, if you are curious about the development of medical science in ancient Anatolia, we recommend you to read the Ephesus, Pergamon, and Anavarza blog posts of our series!
