Pathology and Politics in Alcmaeon of Croton (5th Century B.C.)

Abstract

In Alcmaeon of Croton’s lemma, dating back to the 5th century, we encounter the use of two terms that, in other sources, are associated with the field of politics: ἰσονομία and μοναρχία. The interpretation of these terms poses the following question: Is there a ‘medical use’ of political terms, or conversely, is there a ‘political use’ of medical terms? Some scholars have debated these possibilities. In this paper, I argue that there is no ‘medical use’ of these terms before Alcmaeon, prompting an exploration of the intended significance behind the utilisation of these terms.