Jahrbuch Literatur und Medizin

The fourteenth volume of the ‘Jahrbuch’, edited by Vincenzo Damiani and Florian Steger, focuses on a historically defined period: Graeco-Roman antiquity. Eleven contributions explore the role of medical issues and themes from literary, linguistic, and theological perspectives. The range of topics includes lyric and dramatic poetry, with chapters on Pindar, Sophocles, and Euripides, as well as philosophical literature, focusing on Plato’s dialogues and Seneca’s letters. Historiography is addressed through an analysis of the motif of the ‘deceitful doctor as a traitor,’ while linguistic and terminological aspects are explored in three chapters on the use of medical metaphors in Greek and Latin literature.

The volume concludes with a reflection on the concepts of ‘illness,’ ‘healing,’ and ‘life’ in the cultural context of Judaism, providing insights into the interpretation of Jesus’ healing deeds. The variety of questions and approaches presented offers a valuable contribution to a better understanding of the multifaceted interaction between literature and medicine in antiquity.