Review article

COLLYRIA SEALS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Rafael J. Pérez-Cambrodí ; Oftalmar. Hospital Internacional Medimar. Alicante. Spain.
David P. Piñero ; Foundation for the Visual Quality (FUNCAVIS), Alicante, Spain.
Alejandro Cerviño ; Optometry Research Group. Department of Optics. University of Valencia. Spain
Rune Brautaset ; Optometry Unit. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Juan Murube del Castillo ; Department of Surgery. University of Alcalá, Spain

Abstract

Roman seals associated with collyria (Latin expression for eye drops /washes and lotions for eye maintenance) provide valuable information about eye care in the antiquity. These
small, usually stone-made pieces bore engravings with the names of eye doctors and also the collyria used to treat an eye disease. The collyria seals have been found all over the Roman
empire and Celtic territories in particular and were usually associated with military camps. In Hispania (Iberian Peninsula), only three collyria seals have been found. These findings speak about eye care in this ancient Roman province as well as about of the life of the time.
This article takes a look at the utility and social significance of the collyria seals and seeks to
give an insight in the ophthalmological practice of in the Roman Empire.

Keywords

Collyria seal; Roman Empire; ancient ophthalmology; Hispania; collyrium

Hrčak ID:

106170

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/106170

Publication date:

15.6.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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