A doctor from far away

Along the road built by Romans to travel to Sicily, near the large houses of the rich owners of these lands, there was a funerary monument. Lucio Manneo had it built, while he was still alive, because he wanted to tell an important message to the people who would read the inscription. He wanted to remind everyone of his origins and he did not want that someone would write a Roman name on his tomb after his death.

 

For everyone he was Lucio Manneo, doctor. That was his Roman name. But his origins were different and for this reason he wanted to tell his story to everyone in Greek. His original name was Menecrate and he was the son of Demetrio from the city of Tralle, in the Asian province, which used to be previously a Persian city. Menecrate/Lucio Manneo was a doctor who studied nature and used the wine to cure.

 

 Like many doctors before him, he did not only prescribe wine to cure injuries, but also as a nourishing drink,as an antifebrile, as a laxative, and as a diuretic. He arrived in our lands as a slave, however, he was made a free man by his owner Quinto thanks to his excellent medical qualities , which made him also very rich.


 

Texts: A. Lagi
Pictures: Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Volcei “Marcello Gigante
English translation: Scu association Pro Loco Buccino Volcei