Posted: 1/27/2018
Trigger
Just saw a video documentary about Alexandria and Carthage (in German language). This video e.g focused on a Greek woman, who travelled from Greece to Alexandria, Egypt, to study medicine at the famous Library of Alexandria. To my astonishment, I learnt about this famous woman.
Agnodice
Apparently little is known about this remarkable and courageous woman who lived in the 4th century BC. Sometimes she is only mentioned in footnotes (S1). Whether she was a real historical person is in question (not for me). She disguised as a man to study and to practice medicine.
She was not just a midwife or a healer, but she is reported to have studied medicine under famous doctors at the Library of Alexandria like Herophilus.
“As her popularity with female patients grew, rival physicians accused her of seducing the women of Athens. She was tried, and revealed her sex to the jury by lifting her tunic. Accused of illegally practising medicine as a woman, she was defended by the women of Athens who praised her for her effective treatments. She was acquitted, and the law against female physicians in Athens was revoked.” (S2; emphasis added)
Takeaways
- Women who dared were respected and accomplished. Unfortunately, too few did
- Debunking Feminism as an ideology based on myth
Sources (S):
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