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THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN ROME. 131
epitaph which is devoted to the salaried doctor of the town
of Ferentinum.*
In Rome a doctor was appointed for every district of the
city. The public medical officers were especially bound to
attend the poor without being paid by them; but they were
by no means debarred from private practice. Moreover
they were called into consultation in epidemics and other
occurrences which entailed an increase of sickness and
mortality: in addition, the duty of medical teaching was
included in the list of their obligations. From the community
they received a salary which consisted chiefly of
articles of natural produce. In large cities like Rome they
formed colleges which when a place fell vacant completed
the establishment by election. But their choice was subject
to imperial ratification. The office seems often to
have passed from father to son.f Under the rule of the
Emperors VALENTINIAN I. and VALENS (368 A.D.) the
qualifications for, and conditions of, holding office as
public medical officer were settled in detail. J
Since this period they bore the official title of Archiatri
populares the origin of which dates from a still earlier
time. The word Archiater is found in ARET^US§ and is
obviously, by the analogy of other expressions, formed
upon the root ap% indicating dignity and high position.||
At the earliest period it appears to have been used to
designate the doctors of the imperial Court. STERTINIUS
XENOPHON, on whose history an interesting light has been
thrown by the discovery, a short time ago, of his gravestone
covered with inscriptions,^ bore the title of Archiater
* MARQUARDT op. cit. vii, 755.
t VERCOUTRE op, cit. p. 321.
X Cod. Theodos. xiii, T. 3. de med. et profess., c. 8-10—Cod. Justin, x,
T. 52, c. 10.
§ ARETJEUS : de acut. cur. ii, 5.
|| G. CURTIUS: Grundzuge der griechischen Etymologie, Leipzig 1879,8.
189.
1 M. DUBOIS : Un medecin de l'empereur Claude. Bull. d. corresp. helle'n.
J88I, NO. 7, 8.