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I've just started reading the book 'The Wisdom of Alexander the Great' by Lance Kurke. In it he mentions that Alexander "trained as a doctor and administered medical assistance to soldiers".I remember reading that Aristotle implanted in him a love of biology and botony. He may have learned about potions and remedies from his mother, if not from others. And armed with this information Alexander did assist medically in some ways with prescribing - or at least recommending - this or that to his soldiers when they were ailing.Kurke goes on to mention Alexander's skills as: "king, history's greatest general, physician". This almost makes it seem as if Alexander received a formal medical education, as if it were to be his main livelihood. But do you think that the author is possibly taking things one step too far with his assertion? I'm just not sure what he's basing his information on.Jay

I think he's basing his assertion on exactly the points you mention; but it does seem as if he's going a bit far. From what you've quoted it does indeed sound as if he was a kind of Ancient Doogie Howser, MD. :-)All the bestMarcus

Once in botany class I came upon an article that said that Alexander introduced the aloe plant to the greek world, because he found it's healing and digestive properties amazing. I think he rather liked biology, and he might have been impressed with how the soldiers of the illiad took care of one another, binding eachother's wounds and such, I think there's actually a vase or a kylix depicting that. It's useful, and I remember reading in Plutarch that Alexander fretted over Aristotle publishing works that were open to the public, and how it would make everything common knowledge. He also did say that Alexander would prescribe diets and medicines to his soldiers, and complained when I believe Craterus didn't tell him about a wound he got, that Alexander apparently knew something about. I think he took great pride in knowledge, and in helping those he cared for. You got to admit learning first aid is useful even today. Was he a doctor? no...because he himself needed them for his army, and I don't recall ever reading that he performed any surgery of any kind.

Hello,Could you direct my attention to the part in the Iliad that highlights this medical aspect as I can't remember anything about this.Thankyou,
Dean.

Hello,Off hand I think that Plutarch is the one who states that Alexander was well aware of many medical treatments. I think in Plutarch he states that he even prescribed to friends certain cures but don't quote me on it.Certainly he, as Xenophon before him, attended to the injured or at least "seemed" interested in their health- asking them to boast about how they got their injuries etc. And also of course I love the dialogue between father and son- when Philip complained about his "dodgy" leg and Alexander said, "Why should you moan about that when it reminds you with every step of your valour?"One part of the film of Alexander which I found a bit hard to stomach was when Alexander visits the dying soldiers after the battle of Gaugamela and comforts a soldier just before a bolt is driven into the nape of his neck... Ughhhh!!!!!Best regards,
Dean.

Dean, I don't remember any literary references to the soldiers of the Iliad treating each others' wounds, though these references may well exist. I think Lucian is also referring to an illustration on a cup by the Sosias painter which shows Achilles binding the arm of Patroclus. This is a popular work and you can buy plates bearing this illustration today.The images on the internet aren't very good, but there's one at:http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~loxia ... as.jpgBest regards,Linda Ann

Cheers Linda.I must admit that I can't imagine such a character as Achilles dressing anybody's wounds even if it is Patroclus but then again Patroclus was very dear to him.Best regards,
Dean.

Curtius writes that when Ptolemy was severely wounded, Alexander had a dream in which he saw a plant, which when found after a large-scale search and then applied to the wound, cured it -- 9.8.25. Of course that would be medical intuition rather than medical training...Karen

The comparison came from the "cup" which was supposedly Achilles and Patroclus depicted as dressing eachother's wounds. I didn't mean an actual reference in the Iliad, just an "illustration" of the time. I think it was more to show a bond between two soldiers, but who knows.

How is this for weird? I am watching the extended version of the Return of the King..and I just got the scene "healing houses" where the idea of the "healing hands of the king" comes in.

That Alexander would have had some formal training in medicine is probably correct being that Aristotle's father was court physician to Philip's father. There are several mentions in the histories of him advising physicians on dosages, treating Ptolemy's wound, making an eye ointment etc. etc. He certainly knew enough to know when a physician made a mistake - hence the killing of Hephaistion's physician. I wouldn't go so far as to say he was a physician however.Regards,Tre

Hi Tre,Interesting about Hephaestion's physician. The way you expressed it in your post suggests that you believe Alexander had him executed for incorrectly diagnosing Hephaestion's illness. I've always read it as an undeserved punishment for not preventing Heph from drinking the wine and eating the fowl.All the bestMarcus

That's a whole 'nuther ball of wax to discuss. Suffice to say I believe there's more to that story.Regards,Tre

"Whole other ball of wax" - good expression :-)OK, well, that explains why I read your previous post the way I did.But I'm not up to long, convoluted balls of wax at the moment, so let's put that on ice and pick it up some other time. (It should be in a different thread, anyway.)CheersMarcus

'Suffice it to say' means I have no intention of discussing it.You don't have to worry about long convoluted discussions Marcus.