3 The Middle Ages
Publisher SummaryThis chapter discusses the period of middle ages. The ancient world collapsed in spasms wars, social upheavals and general unrest. Barbarian tribes, themselves uprooted fleeing before Asian conquerors, rampaged looted Roman Greek cities. Disease epidemics swept land decimated population. As a result these disasters, evil spirits their master, devil, loomed large popular imagination. These demonic forces were blamed for most calamities. Christianity became firmly established, protection saints was invoked against diseases. St. Sebastian protected one plagues, Job leprosy, Anthony fractures. Cures sought at shrines graves saints. Prayers bodily contact with relics favored remedy provided by priests early (dark ages). Although zealous religious beliefs, Arabs showed greater tolerance than did contemporary Christians to classical scholarship science. In eleventh twelfth centuries, changes took place Western Christendom which brought wake separation physical medicine religion.
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