Focusing on early Christian authors, this work explores how their actions and self-representation were influenced by the prevailing norms of Roman intellectual culture. It argues that external cultural factors played a significant role in shaping their perspectives, rather than solely relying on internal Christian dynamics. Through this lens, the book provides a nuanced understanding of the intersection between early Christianity and Roman society.
"This sourcebook provides an expansive picture of medicine, health, and healing in ancient Greece and Rome. It includes a wide-ranging collection of textual sources - many hard to access, and some translated into English for the first time - as well as artistic, material, and scientific evidence. Introductory chapters and accompanying commentary provide substantial context, making the sourcebook accessible to readers at all levels. Readers will come away with a broad sense of the illnesses people in ancient Greece and Rome experienced, the range of healers from whom they sought help, and the various practices they employed to be healthy"--