Psychopharmaka in Ancient Greek Medicine and Thought

Mandragora, aus: Dioscurides, De Materia Medica (Naples, Biblioteca Nazionale, Cod. Gr. 1, f. 90, late 6th c.)

Ancient physicians were well aware that material substances could and did cause observable effects in the functioning of human psyche and they followed different paths in observing and conceptualizing the relationships between ‘soul’ (psychē) and pharmaka, with its broad spectrum of meanings: ‘medicines,’ ‘drugs’ and ‘poisons’. On the one hand, they described and classified the effects that active substances could bring about in the ‘psychic’ sphere of human beings, including their impact on emotions, perceptions, and ‘mental’ activities. In some cases, they were even aware that such an impact could depend on the beliefs of the patients, rather than on the real properties of drugs. On the other hand, the concepts of ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ were often used to explain and conceptualize the properties of substances in medicine and in contiguous areas of expertise, such as alchemy. These interrelated and complex aspects of the soul-pharmakon relationship will represent the main focus of the workshop, which will explore this topic within a broad chronological time frame, from Homer up to the Islamic medicine.

Aus organisatorischen Gründen ist die Teilnahme nur nach Anmeldung unter wittwer@bbaw.de möglich.

Program