Genitourinary system in Ancient Greece
Number:28ESURABS0138
Type:Educational Electronic Presentation
Authors: Athina C. Tsili, Thomas Benekos, Maria I. Argyropoulou
Keywords:Ancient Greece, urogenital, genitorenal
SECTIONS
Educational objective

We aim to review the Ancient Greeks’ understanding of the genitourinary (GU) system, the origins of Greek myths related to the GU diseases, and the etymology of the vocabulary still used in modern medicine for the organs of the GU tract.

Topic Review

We conducted a comprehensive search for the terms Ancient Greece AND testis, penis, uterus, bladder, and kidneys on PubMed database, Google search, and Wikipedia and we selected the information about well-known GU tract diseases.

Male Reproductive System

The word symmetry has its origin in the Greek word ‘symmetria’ (from the prefix syn, meaning same and the noun metros, meaning measure [1]. Regarding scrotal asymmetry, for both adults and fetuses, the right testis is usually heavier and greater in volume than the left, and the left testis hangs lower in the scrotum. Many theories have tried to explain the asymmetry of the scrotum in humans. Some have attributed scrotal asymmetry to the more...

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Figure 1. The Doryphoros of Polykleitos is one of the best known Greek sculptures of the high Classical period. During this time, Greek sculptures put an emphasis on the ideal man who was depicted in heroic nudity. Some scholars believe that Doryphoros was the young Achilles on his way to battle in the Trojan War. The left testis is depicted in a lower position and larger than the contralateral right testis.
Figure 2. Riace Bronzes, Statue A, depicting scrotal asymmetry: the left testis is remarkably lower compared with the right testis; the presence of varicocele is also suspected. Riace Bronzes, also called the Riace Warriors are a pair of attractive Greek statues, found in the sea, near the province of Reggio Calabria, Italy in 1972. The two bronze sculptures are known as “Statue A”, referring to the younger warrior, and “Statue B”, indicating the more old-looking of the two.
Conclusions

History starts in the past, illuminates the present, and reaches forward into the future. Many would argue that Greek myths are not meant to convey examples of medical conditions; however, our fantasy (from which mythology was made) could help us find some similarities to the present and possible future developments in medicine.

 

References

 

  1. Du Sautoy M. Symmetry. A Journey into the Patterns of Nature. First Harper Perennial Edition, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2009.
  2. Chang KSF, Hsu FK, Chan ST, et al. Scrotal asymmetry and handedness. J Anat 1960;94:543-548.
  3. Bogaert AF. Genital asymmetry in men. Hum Reprod 1997;12:68-72.
  4. Bonafini B, Pozzilli P. Scrotal asymmetry, varicocoele and the Riace Bronzes. Int J Androl 2012;35:181-182.
  5. McManus IC. Right-left and the...

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