Ancient medicine, being a part of Greek civilization historical period evolution, has gradually developed to such an extent that permeated into Greek societies’ both practices, moral and consciousness throughout the centuries while continue to contribute, on a practical but also ideological level – directly or indirectly – depending on the cultural geographical units, to modern people health problems , therapeutic approach and treatment formulations in order to cure, prevent and alleviate them. Greek medicine has undergone a rapid and impressive development throughout the aforementioned historical period in a variety of fields, from therapeutic formulations and Cretaceous period hygiene rules to military surgery and wounds treatment described in the Homeric epics as well as from natural medicine integration in scientific and rational thinking of Hippocratic era to the ancient physicians, Dioscorides and Galen, great work, who have highly evolve Hippocratic thinking while their therapeutic formulations are mentioned up to 19
In the course of centuries from the end of antiquity and onwards, there were times that Greek medicine (treatment formulation) was either fallen into disfavor or challenged and declined due to time elapsed and cataclysmic changes. However , Greek inhabitants who used to live mainly in the Single Hellenic area geocultural context had deep inside them the appropriate perception, practice and mentality ambiance in order to embrace the therapeutic values and traditions of the ancient Greek World. Ordinary villagers, folk healers, midwives and monasteries through the therapeutic recipes application, practical experience and all kinds of pharmaceutical preparations (concoctions) for all pathologies, having the ancient healing knowledge were – even in many cases with variations – both the guardians of ancient traditions and the cradle of ancient heritage preservation.
The continuation of this tradition is confirmed by most of the studies and researches conducted on the effects of ancient Greek medicine on the modern one. The great message we receive as the heirs of these traditions is that human societies ‘ modern behavior is historically shaped by established habits and traditions. But the most important message is that man as a natural/physical being should remain connected to the Natural World where he/she lives in and the need for this connection through traditional natural practices and therapeutic perceptions is deemed more essential and necessary than ever before in the human history.
