Valentina Gazzaniga
Section of the History of Medicine Sapienza-University of Rome, I
Keywords:
Ancient Gynaecology, Greek and Roman Medicine, Pregnancy , Parthenogenesis
Abstract
In ancient Greek medicine female physiology is determined by a particular state of non-steady equilibrium, largely based on pregnancy and lactation, presented as the only balanced and healthy periods in women’s life. Nonetheless, pregnancy can be also a pathological moment, in particular referring to specific alterations of its ‘normal time’ (‘seven-months’, ’eightmonths’ and ‘ten-months’ children). The article analyzes the well-known case of myle, an abnormal pregnancy developing in three and sometimes four years, non resolving in a normal delivery, but often in a dramatic haemorrhagic flux. The author compares Hippocratic and Aristotelic testimonies about myle and abnormal pregnancies with the evidence fournished by the historical-religious recent studies about Hera and her parthenogenetic, monstrous children.
