Ancient medicine has a surprisingly long-life- and the story is more exciting than you might imagine! Even after cuneiform writing disappeared, the healing knowledge of Babylon didn’t vanish. Instead, it traveled, popping up in Greek, Hebrew, and Syriac traditions along the way.
We welcome you to join Assyriologist Irving Finkel and virologist Peter Hotez for an image-filled talk that follows a journey across centuries and cultures. Together, they will explore and discuss the hidden history of medical transmission. You’ll see how Babylonian ideas influenced famous figures like Hippocrates, found their way into the Babylonian Talmud, and even shaped the work of the renowned physician Maimonides and the Jewish physicians of the Renaissance.
Come explore how these ancient insights made their way back to Europe—and how they still echo in medicine today. It’s a fascinating story of ideas that refused to be forgotten.
This program is being presented in partnership with Archaeology Now. Registration required.
Archaeology Now is a storyteller. We bridge the gap between the first circles of humans gathered around campfires and the voices that shape who we are today.
By keeping the embers of past cultures alive, we celebrate the enduring wonder of our shared humanity. There are so many stories waiting to be told. We invite you to become part of the story.