MEDICINE IN THE ROMAN ARMY

MEDICINE IN THE ROMAN ARMY

We have very few notices about the medical art in the roman army in the republican age. Titus Livius et al. tell us that the soldiers wounded in action were carried in the villages, in the surroundings of the battlefield, to be assisted.
The emperor Augustus, in his reform of the army, introduced the military doctors, specifically trained, not as the civilian ones. They were enrolled as the other soldiers, remaining on duty about 16 years long.
In the army, Romans had one doctor for each cohors and two for the first-line one. They were under the command of the praefectus castrensis and of a chief-doctor, which was often the personal doctor of the emperor.
Cavalry had its own doctors (medici alarum) and so had the navy (medici triremis). In the army the ranks in descending order were medicus legionaris, medicus coorti and medicus ordinarii. This one had a rank corresponding to the centurio, but without an effective power on the soldiers, being that rank not really recognized, as the doctor doesn’t take active part in the battle.
The medical care of the wounded men was made directly on the field. In the worse cases the soldier was carried in the valetudinarium in castris, a sort of field-hospital capable of 200 beds: we have discovered evidences in some city that have its origin in a roman military camp.
A good video with a reconstruction of this hospital is at the following address http://www.la7.it/approfondimento/dettaglio.asp?prop=atlantide&video=18409
The commander of the valetudinarium was the medicus castrensis, exempted from any other duty and assisted by capsarii (wardrobe attendant), frictores (masseurs), unguentarii (for applying oils), curators operis (physicians), optiones valetudinarii (with feeding or administrative duties).
Roman doctors were particularly skilled in traumatology and hygienic matters. Their presence in the castra (chester), widespread all over Europe, highly contributed to the developing of the modern medicine.

POSTED BY PETER WOODY

LA MEDICINA NELL'ESERCITO ROMANO

LA MEDICINA NELL'ESERCITO ROMANO

Sappiamo molto poco riguardo alla medicina militare nell'età repubblicana. Autori come Tito Livio, raccontano che i feriti nelle battaglie venivano portati nei villaggi nei pressi della zone di conflitto per essere curati.
Con la riforma dell'esercito di Augusto vennero introdotti i medici militari che avevano ricevuto, al contrario di quelli civili, una specifica formazione. I medici militari venivano arruolati come gli altri soldati e rimanevano in servizio per circa 16 anni.
Nell'esercito romano c'era un medico per ogni coorte e due per quella in prima linea. Dipendevano dal praefectus castrensis e da un medico capo che spesso era anche il medico personale dell'imperatore.
La cavalleria possedeva propri medici (medici alarum) così come nella marina vi erano i medici triremis.
Vi era anche una gradazione dei medici militari in medicus legionaris, medicus coorti, ed infine il medicus ordinarii che aveva il grado corispondente a quello di centurione, ma senza un comando effettivo su i soldati. I medici infatti non venivano considerati uffuciali "effettivi", in quanto non partecipavano direttamente alle battaglie.
L'assistenza ai feriti veniva prestata direttamente sul campo, all'aperto; per i casi più gravi c'era il valetudinarium in castris, una sorta di ospedale da campo che poteva contenere fino a 200 pazienti. Ne sono stati trovati i resti in diverse città-accampamento.
Un bel filmato si può vedere in http://www.la7.it/approfondimento/dettaglio.asp?prop=atlantide&video=18409
A capo del valetudinarium era il "medicus castrensis", esentato da ogni altro servizio, assistito da capsarii (infermieri guardarobieri), frictores (massaggiatori), unguentarii , curatores operis (addetti al servizio farmaceutico), optiones valetudinarii (addetti al vitto e all'amministrazione).
I piunti di forza della medicina militare romana erano la traumatologia e l'igiene. La presenza di castra sparsi per tutta europa contribuì grandemente allo sviluppo della medicina moderna.

POSTATO DA PETER WOODY

PROMOTION

Lizzz Gothly has successfully finished her recruitmen period and is now a miles in Amazons. CONGRATULATIONS!
The following recruits get a last chance to show activity by prolongation of recruitment-period:
Domitian Republic, Djamena Azalee, Hermes Falconer.
Not being at least a bit active may result in being ejected from the Legion!

Scriba Nina on behalf of Praefectus Vectus Margulis and the Centuriones

PARADE THE 30 th OF THIS MONTH

Ave all,
the 30 th of this month will be a conference in ROMA CENTRO SIM where will be taken from me and Achille (maybe) in Italian, as the sim requested, about the roman army. After it will be a parade.
All are invited to join it! We will have some training for the parade, first will be this Friday.
Primus Pilus Brodbiz Bagration

LEGIONAIERE OF THE MOTNH

Hello all,
the Legionaire of the month of December is Toth Auebauch for his great work for the Saturnalia and for the Legio in general!
CONGRATULATION!
Picture will be loaded soon.

Salvete soldiers!

As you probably already heard, the upcoming friday, 16th february, we will be visited the whole time from visitors from REAL LIFE!!
Read the attached card to know more!!!

I look forward to meet you there. Valete.

Primus Pilus Brodbiz Bagration; Princeps Achilles Claudius;Tonina Rodenberger; Jo Soler; Zillatron Glume

RECRUITS PROMOTIONS

The following recruits have successfully finished their recruitment period:
Teddybear Skytower (Cen III), Ghost Vantelli. Life Juliesse and sophia Swords.
They will get an invitation to their new group.

Congratulations!!

Scriba Nina on behalf of Praefectus Vectus Margulis and the Centuriones