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Health, economics, and ancient Greek medicine

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Author

Summary, in English

A period of two and a half millennia separates us from the Classical period of ancient Greece. Nevertheless, looking at ancient Greek medicine from the perspective of modern health

economics is an interesting endeavour in that it increases our understanding of the ancient world and provides insights into contemporary society. Ancient Greece is rightly famous for pioneering

secular and scientific medicine, but equally noteworthy is the prominence of healing cults, such as

that of Asklepios. In this paper, the market for secular physicians is illuminated with tools from

modern economics, for example the concern for the physician’s reputation. The simultaneous

emergence in ancient Greece of a scientific and rational approach to medicine and the

proliferation of religious medicine provides an interesting vantage point for a study of the current

market for alternative medicine. Similar circumstances arguably lie behind the dual nature of the

health market that was present then and is still present now. The underlying mechanism in both

periods is hypothesised to be increased uncertainty in everyday life.

Publishing year

2011

Language

English

Pages

165-192

Publication/Series

Journal of Economic Asymmetries

Volume

8

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Economics

Keywords

  • health
  • economics
  • medicine
  • ancient Greece
  • alternative

Status

Published

Project

  • The Economics of Ancient Greece

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1703-4949