Agnodice: The Secret Physician of Athens

After disguising herself as a man to be the physician women needed, she was put on trial – and won.

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Art Notes

This image contains a total goof – the rod they have is meant to be a symbol of the mythological Greek physician Asclepius – however I, as so many others, confused it with the Caduceus, the symbol of the god Hermes. The Caduceus, unlike the rod of Asclepius, has but one snake, and no wings attached to it. D’oh! At least I’m not alone.
The colors of the clothing here may be a bit off – it was my understanding that the standards were that dark togas, like Agnodice’s, was generally signs of mourning, but sometimes also of protest. The red togas were indicative of a higher rank of citizen, so it seemed appropriate that the group of people judging her would wear those colors. This was corroborated by this historical depiction (warning: nudity) of a different trial.

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