Galen: Ancient Holistic Medicine
Galen of Pergamon (129–c. 216 CE) was one of the most influential physicians of the ancient world. Building on the foundation of Hippocrates, he combined observation, experiment, and philosophy to create a vision of medicine that saw the body, mind, and spirit as one living whole. His writings shaped medical practice for more than a thousand years, bridging the worlds of science and spirituality.
Physician of the Gladiators
Galen first honed his skills as a doctor in the brutal world of the gladiatorial games. Serving as physician to fighters in Pergamon, he learned to treat wounds swiftly and effectively. This practical training taught him anatomy, trauma care, and the body’s capacity to heal. From there he rose to serve emperors in Rome, including Marcus Aurelius himself.
The Unity of Body and Spirit
For Galen, medicine was not only about curing symptoms but about restoring harmony. He expanded Hippocrates’ theory of the four humors—blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile—linking them with emotions, temperament, and lifestyle. To treat the body, one must also treat the soul; anger, grief, or excess could unbalance health as much as diet or climate. This holistic view made Galen’s practice both physical and philosophical.
Observation and Experiment
Galen was not content with tradition alone. He performed dissections and vivisections on animals to study anatomy, the nervous system, and circulation. He demonstrated how the brain controls movement, how the heart and arteries pulse with life, and how injuries affect function. Though some of his theories were later revised, his insistence on evidence set a standard for medicine as an empirical science.
Writings that Endured
Galen was a prolific author, leaving behind hundreds of treatises on medicine, philosophy, and ethics. For centuries, his works were studied in Byzantine, Islamic, and European schools alike. He became the reference point for physicians well into the Renaissance, a symbol of enduring authority in the art of healing.
Why It Still Matters
Galen’s medicine reminds us that health cannot be reduced to a single factor. It is the harmony of body, mind, emotions, and environment. His vision encourages us to look beyond quick cures and instead nurture balance: to treat causes as well as symptoms, and to see healing as a partnership between physician, patient, and nature itself.
Series Reflection
Galen teaches that medicine is not only science but philosophy, not only treatment but relationship. To heal is to restore balance, to honor the connection of body and soul, and to recognize that true health is wholeness.