Athenian Civilization

One of the successes of the Athenian civilization was their educational system which was the basis to the Athenians’ undying curiosity in making inquiries in medicine. Thucydides (Hist. Ex 2.39) states that “There is a difference, too, in our educational systems [with the Spartans].”While the Spartans were focused solely on their military force, Athens’ educational system was based on the fact that success was not wholly based on a country’s military capacity. One of them was the great Hippocrates of Cos who devoted much of his live to find cures and diseases and even regarded by historians as the Father of Western Medicine (Freeman 1999:373). Hippocrates’s research demonstrate that diseases were not the result of the God’s anger as he employ a combination of observation and reason to interpret the human body (Freeman 1999:374). This illustrates that because of their immense curiosity; Athenians strive for answers to the reasons of diseases. In addition to that, Bowra (1971: 209) claims that doctors who were considered as Hippocratic Doctors did not believe in magic which were traditionally been thought o be the cure for diseases. Hippocratic doctors were halting the superstitious belief and in addition bring into play scientific attitude of the Athenian people. This use of the name вЂ?Hippocratic Doctors’ illustrates that Hippocrates induced a great influence in the medical field as doctors were curing the people using Hippocrates’s studies. Furthermore, Hippocrates’s influence lived till today as Freeman (1999:374) claims that the fundamental of professional medical practice today is still based on the Hippocratic Oath. Medicine were needed to a great extend in Athens as diseases were spread extensively without having cures. The progress of the medical field in Athens led Athens to develop into one of the most successful civilizations in human history. In the numerous wars Athens indulged in, medical research proved to be key factors as it brought injured an ailing soldiers back into the war and hence enhancing the military strength of Athens.