2023-10-29 04:00:00
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Ancient Iranian medicine, its practice and study in Persia, has a long and prolific history. Iranian medical antiquity has been influenced by different medical traditions that came from Greece, Egypt, India and China for more than 4000 years.
It was consolidated to form a core of knowledge that allowed the foundations of medicine to be established in Europe in the 13th century, Iranian schools such as the Gundeshapur Academy, where medicine, philosophy, theology and sciences were taught, and, in addition, it was fertile ground. for scientists of different civilizations.
According to The Cambridge history of Iran, it was the most important medical center in the world between the 5th and 8th centuries. They successfully expanded the theories of their predecessors and successfully developed their scientific research during this period of history.
Persian medicine
Persian medicine is divided into two major periods: the first, collected in the books of Zendavesta, attributed to Zaratrusta (VII century BC) and the second, of Arab origin.
In the religion of ancient Persia, Ahura Mazdau Hormuz, god of light, love and goodness, was supported by six divinities. Ameshas Spentas represented piety, virtue and justice.
In opposition to these divinities was Angra Mayniu, spirit of evil, ignorance and darkness, accompanied by six evil and diabolical spirits who fight to conquer the world.
Medicinal plants
In this mythology, medicine played a great role: it emerged from the garden of Ameretap, the goddess of long life where thousands of plants grew that offered health. This goddess created the tree of all seeds, which was in the center of Lake Vourukasha.
Next to it, there was the Gaokarena or haoma tree that cured all diseases and its juice gave immortality to the good, while the wicked were immersed by a molten metal plate, the work of Angra Mayniu.
Therapy
In the Zend part of the Avesta, doctors were classified into three types:
Magicians-priests, who used prayers and prayers as therapeutics; Surgeons who used stilettos; The pharmaceutical doctors who used plants, animals and various drugs.
Above them all was Mitha, goddess of health, intermediary between gods and men, who received from Ahura Mazda the medicinal plants that grew in abundance around the haoma.
Cover of a medieval manuscript of Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine, kept in the Wellcome Library in London.
Public domain
El haoma
Haoma, in the Avestan language, is the name of a divinity of the quintessence of the haoma plant; and also the name of the drink made with it in Zoroastrian doctrine and in later Persian culture and mythology.
The sacred haoma has its origins in the Proto-Indian religion. The physical attributes of the plant, as described in the Avesta texts, are:
The plant has stems, roots and branches. It has a flexible asu (stem). It is golden-greenish in color. It grows in the mountains, “expands rapidly”, “apart from many paths” “in ravines and abysses” and “on the margins”.
Indirect attributes (effects from consumption) include:
Promotes sexual arousal. Stimulates alertness and awareness. Its slightly intoxicating extract can be consumed without negative side effects. It is nourishing and “more nourishing for the soul.”
Next to the lake haoma there was also a terrestrial haoma that the Avesta describes as “a yellow plant with a flexible stem.” This terrestrial haoma when prepared for sacrifice was the king of the plants and was asked for “wisdom, faith and victory, health and healing.”
Illnesses were considered by the Persians as a consequence of the invasion of the body by evil spirits. In the Yasna it is stated that “the slightest sip of haoma is enough to annihilate thousands of daivas”, a thousand demons.
Illnesses were considered by the Persians as a consequence of the invasion of the body by evil spirits.
To eliminate evil demons, that is, diseases, along with religious and magical practices, “fragrant plants” were named that had to be thrown into the fire to purify beings and objects contaminated by the demon Druj Nasu.
These plants were Inula helenium, a species of aloe, the pomegranate and others that might not be identified. Other plants mentioned might correspond to cannabis indica and shente and aconite.
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The Avesta recommends using plants sparingly “to the extent of good sense” to avoid poisoning. They used drugs such as mastic, aloe, asafoetida, benzoin, myrrh, oils, ointments and perfumes.
The therapy stands out for the hygienic rules that were written in the sacred books, tending to keep the body and spirit clean. Of the 3,000 clay tablets found in the Assurbanipal library, more than a thousand deal with medical topics. There are also other works dedicated to magic.
In the Code of Hamurabi there are provisions that determine the prices to be demanded according to the viscera treated and the social category of the patient.
A citizen will be charged five silver coins for healing a fracture, if he is a freedman he will be charged three and if he is a slave, only one silver coin.
If the manipulation was unsuccessful and the patient died, the doctor was condemned to lose his hand, or if the dead person was a slave, to replace him with another…
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