The research builds on the analysis of some clay vessels, with inscribed Greek letters, from Priene, a Ionian city of Asia Minor. The finds, dating to the II-I century BC, are to this day unique in the panorama of small containers of medicamenta: they are jars of two different forms, one in the shape of small glass almost cylindrical (9-12 cm), the other in the form of amphoriskos (17 cm) with a single handle. Both the “glasses” and the “pitchers” have figured round stamps and rectangular relieved cartouches. The study – which comes in a wider issue of great interest in the recent historiographical debate, namely the history of ancient medicine – thus takes the moves from a review of the many attempts of classification of the Prienian clay vessels (chapter I), continues with the analysis of the possible contexts of use, private and public (chapter II), then focuses on the elements of continuity and factors of transformation which characterized the Ionian city between Hellenism and Empire (chapter III), finally compares the data offered by ancient sources and by modern testimonies useful to reconstruct the likely contents of the jars (chapter IV), probably locally produced medicines and ointments used initially by Hellenistic iatroi and aleiptai and after by Imperial iatraleiptai (chapter V). After some concluding remarks, follows a documentary Appendix collecting not only inscriptions, but also literary and archaeological evidence, from Ionia (as well as from nearby Misia), and concerning the oil production, supply and consumption. Oil, effectively, was an essential ingredient in preparing medicamenta and aromata and therefore used not only as an emollient, but also as a vehicle for other drugs. It is therefore the specificity/uniqueness of these microvessels to offer the opportunity for a broad investigation not only on the contexts of use (Hellenistic gymnasia and Roman thermal baths, facilities at which pursued his profession a medical and paramedical person, sometimes highly qualified), on the possible contents of small containers and the profession pursued by the individuals mentioned in the scrolls, but also, in a long-term perspective, on the political, economic, social and cultural consequences of the production of medicamenta for the city of Priene. This urban center, contrary to the generally accepted theory, in the Imperial Age and in Late Antiquity did not go through a phase of stagnation, darkness or even inexorable “decline”, but was characterized by undeniable elements of continuity and, above all, significant transformation factors, documented by the literary, epigraphic, numismatic and archaeological sources.
La ricerca prende le mosse dall’analisi di alcuni vasetti fittili iscritti provenienti da Priene, città ionica dell’Asia Minore. I reperti, databili al II-I secolo a.C., costituiscono a tutt’oggi un unicum nel panorama dei microcontenitori di medicamenta ed è proprio la loro specificità/eccezionalità ad offrire lo spunto per un’ampia indagine non solo sui contesti di fruizione, sul possibile contenuto dei piccoli recipienti e sulla professione svolta dagli individui menzionati nei cartigli, ma anche, in una prospettiva di lunga durata, sulle ricadute politiche, economiche, sociali e culturali di tale produzione per la città di Priene. Questo centro urbano, contrariamente alla tesi generalmente accolta, non attraversò in età imperiale e tardoantica una fase di stagnazione, di oscurità o persino di inarrestabile “declino” ma fu connotato da indubbi elementi di continuità e soprattutto da significativi fattori di trasformazione, documentati dalle testimonianze letterarie, epigrafiche, numismatiche e archeologiche.
Il farmaco e l'unguento. La produzione di Priene fra Ellenismo e Impero
ARENA, Gaetano Maria
2013-01-01
Abstract
The research builds on the analysis of some clay vessels, with inscribed Greek letters, from Priene, a Ionian city of Asia Minor. The finds, dating to the II-I century BC, are to this day unique in the panorama of small containers of medicamenta: they are jars of two different forms, one in the shape of small glass almost cylindrical (9-12 cm), the other in the form of amphoriskos (17 cm) with a single handle. Both the “glasses” and the “pitchers” have figured round stamps and rectangular relieved cartouches. The study – which comes in a wider issue of great interest in the recent historiographical debate, namely the history of ancient medicine – thus takes the moves from a review of the many attempts of classification of the Prienian clay vessels (chapter I), continues with the analysis of the possible contexts of use, private and public (chapter II), then focuses on the elements of continuity and factors of transformation which characterized the Ionian city between Hellenism and Empire (chapter III), finally compares the data offered by ancient sources and by modern testimonies useful to reconstruct the likely contents of the jars (chapter IV), probably locally produced medicines and ointments used initially by Hellenistic iatroi and aleiptai and after by Imperial iatraleiptai (chapter V). After some concluding remarks, follows a documentary Appendix collecting not only inscriptions, but also literary and archaeological evidence, from Ionia (as well as from nearby Misia), and concerning the oil production, supply and consumption. Oil, effectively, was an essential ingredient in preparing medicamenta and aromata and therefore used not only as an emollient, but also as a vehicle for other drugs. It is therefore the specificity/uniqueness of these microvessels to offer the opportunity for a broad investigation not only on the contexts of use (Hellenistic gymnasia and Roman thermal baths, facilities at which pursued his profession a medical and paramedical person, sometimes highly qualified), on the possible contents of small containers and the profession pursued by the individuals mentioned in the scrolls, but also, in a long-term perspective, on the political, economic, social and cultural consequences of the production of medicamenta for the city of Priene. This urban center, contrary to the generally accepted theory, in the Imperial Age and in Late Antiquity did not go through a phase of stagnation, darkness or even inexorable “decline”, but was characterized by undeniable elements of continuity and, above all, significant transformation factors, documented by the literary, epigraphic, numismatic and archaeological sources.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
