Hospital in ancient Rome

The richest Romans have personal physicians to look after their families.

Wealthy people can afford to pay a doctor to visit them at home, but the common folk must attend a surgery or hospital.

The term ‘hospital’ derives from the Latin word, hospitalis, which relates to guests and their treatment. The word refers the early use of these institutions not merely as places of healing but as havens for the poor and weary travelers.

The first public hospital started life as the Temple of Aesculapius on an island in the River Tiber. It was constructed on the island around 291 BC.

The temple was used to house elderly or disabled slaves who could no longer work. They were sent to the island so that no one would have to take care of them.

Romans hospital had excellent plumbing and sewerage systems designed for good hygiene, for some had flushing toilets where water carried away waste products.

The Romans believed ‘the smell of excrement’ was a source of disease. The hospitals building are divided into separate wards, probably to isolate infectious disease.

The size of Roman Empire increased as its armed might grew. Military hospitals accompanied the armies all over the Roman world and spread their medical knowledge and practices to the locals.

Highly organized and effective these military hospitals treated soldiers wounded in battle.
Hospital in ancient Rome