Hippocrates: Figures from GCSE History

Hippocrates Facts

Summary: Living in the 4th Century BCE in Ancient Greece Hippocrates became known as the 'Great Physician'. Hippocrates' ideas changed the way that people thought about illness. Focusing on the symptoms of illness he developed the Theory of the Four Humours.
Born: c.460 BCE
Died: c.375 BCE
Books: Hippocratic Corpus
Biggest achievement: Although his theories have been disproved Hippocrates influence over the development of medical knowledge is still acknowledged today. In many countries, newly qualified doctors are required to take the Hippocratic Oath.

Who is Hippocrates?

Hippocrates was born on the island of Kos, Greece in c. 460 BCE. Little is known about his younger life. Historians’ knowledge of Hippocrates is based on a biography written 500 years after his death by a Greek physician called Soranus. Soranus stated that Hippocrates was born into a wealthy family and was well-educated. It is believed that Hippocrates’ father taught him about medicine alongside a physician called Herodicus.

It may be more helpful to learn about the ancient Greek world he was born into. Ancient Greece was very advanced. The word “democracy” comes from the ancient Greek for “rule by the people” and is based on their system of voting. Society believed that there were many gods and goddesses who lived in the skies above Mount Olympus. Ancient Greeks believed that the gods watched over them and, if displeased, could send plagues and individual illnesses. Greece was famous for its philosophers, who made key discoveries about life. The famous Greek philosopher, Plato, greatly admired Hippocrates. He called him the “Asclepaid of Kos”, a comparison to Asclepius, the Greek God of Medicine. Another philosopher called Aristotle wrote that Hippocrates was known across ancient Greece as “the Great Physician'' but the irony of how short Hippocrates was in person. This highlights the influence and respect Hippocrates had acquired within his lifetime. The influence of philosophy created a society that encouraged inquiry into the “big questions” of life and explored ways in which these could be answered. Within this environment, it is clear to see how an academic like Hippocrates thrived.

What did Hippocrates do?

Hippocrates changed the way people thought about illness. His ideas were recorded 100 years after his death in a collection of 60 medical books known as the Hippocratic Corpus. Within these, it states how the body is made up of four “humours” or “liquids”. For a person to stay healthy, these humours must remain in balance. A humoural imbalance could be caused by having too much or too little of one or more of the humours.

He revolutionised ideas about observing a patient’s symptoms. He would insist on seeing a patient so he could notice signs of a humoural imbalance. According to Hippocrates, a red face would mean a person had too much blood. He also noted the importance of diet and exercise to remain healthy. This countered the common belief that a person’s health was determined by the will of the gods.

His most famous medical contribution is the Hippocratic Oath. Whilst it is now believed Hippocrates did not write this himself, it was influenced by the practices he demonstrated. The oath encouraged physicians to do their best for their patients, act with compassion and share knowledge with their colleagues

Hippocrates' contribution to medicine

In the 4th Century BCE, Hippocrates was well-respected for his ideas. It is believed that Hippocrates journeyed across ancient Greece and Asia Minor teaching his theories. In c.400 BCE, Hippocrates opened a school in Kos and pupils travelled from far away to be educated there. 

Hippocrates’ influence extended beyond his death and to other civilisations. The ancient Roman physician, Galen, made additions to Hippocrates' ideas on the Four Humours, creating the Theory of Opposites in the 2nd century CE. This added more practical applications and treatments to Hippocrates' theory. The Theory of the Four Humours remained fundamental in the understanding of ideas of medicine into the Renaissance of the 16th century. This is because the Catholic Church favoured his approach to medicine as it did not require knowledge of human anatomy. Both the mediaeval Church and Hippocrates disapproved of the practice of dissection. Hippocrates' works were translated into multiple languages and published across the world, proving the wide-reaching impact Hippocrates’ ideas had. The scientific discoveries of the 16th and 17th centuries eventually disproved the Theory of the Four Humours and Hippocrates’ influence diminished among medical professionals.

The modern world is still impacted by Hippocrates' legacy. Newly qualified doctors are required in multiple countries to take the Hippocratic Oath. Pakistani medical schools insist on reciting the original oath written in Hippocratic Corpus, whereas universities in America and Britain use a modernised version. This highlights that the foundation of Hippocrates’ actions as a physician in ancient Greece are still relevant to modern-day medical practices

Hippocrates' Death 

Hippocrates is recorded to have died in Larissa, northern Greece, in c.375 BCE. His cause of death is unknown. Hippocrates is said to have passed on his medical knowledge to his two sons.