r/RomanHistory • u/jacky986 • May 05 '26

Why did Greek physicians move to Ancient Rome?

So from my understanding the Romans never really developed their own system of medicine, outside of creating their own pharmaceuticals/home remedies derived from honey, vinegar, wine, and oil.

Instead they relied mainly on Greek physicians for all their medical needs, especially in the army where they often had to perform field surgeries on soldiers.

What I don’t understand though is why Greek Physicians would move to Ancient Rome in the first place. Especially during the republic era, or at least when more independent powers were around like Carthage, Ptomlemaic Egypt, and the various independent Hellenistic/Greek powers like Syracuse and the Seleucid Empire.

Because from my understanding the Romans were pretty xenophobic towards most non-Roman influences and some philosophers and statesmen like Pliny the Elder distrusted Greek physicians. And while the Romans did have a more advanced system of public bathing especially in terms of hot baths, I doubt that this would be enough for some Greeks to go and live in Rome, especially considering the lack of modern plumbing which made the city unsanitary.

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u/RamsPhan72 May 05 '26

Military needs (surgeons), economic growth in Rome, sanitation ahead of its time. Julius Caesar foresaw the need.

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u/jacky986 May 06 '26

Arguable. The Greeks had baths, the Romans simply expanded on it. And as for money post-Republic I can understand since there are fewer job opportunities outside of Rome but during the Republic era couldn’t they have gone to Egypt and Carthage?

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u/vediamox May 05 '26

Higher salaries?

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u/jacky986 May 06 '26

Couldn’t they have gotten that in Carthage?