Byzantine Medicine and Charitable Foundations: From Constantinople to the Scuola Grande di San Marco in Venice

Byzantine medicine and charitable foundations are essential parts of the culture of Constantinople. From the establishment of the new roman capital in 330 till its fall in 1453 the study and practice of medicine was often associated with charitable institutions (such as euageis oikoi) which may have inspired similar foundations in Venice (le Scuole Grandi) whose charitable and sometimes medical aspects are comparable to the byzantine ones. Each contributor addresses these questions and together they allow one to form an idea of how medicine was studied and often practiced in charitable foundations. The study of medicine in all its aspects is a central concern of byzantine culture. Each byzantine citizen was confronted with medicine during his or her life and would have known the charitable foundations, not only for their social function, but also as buildings visible on a daily basis.