Medicine and Health in Ancient Iran; Persian Language and Literature and the Divan of Mashreqi Shirazi

Medical concepts can be studied in language and literature. The purpose of this study is to investigate the term"pezeshk" and"medical terminology” in ancient Iran, in Persian language and literature, and in Mashreqi Shirazi poems.

This research has been done by reviewing and studying three articles, three databases, and about fifteen books. Since the subject of study is “medicine in Iran” and “Persian language and literature”, non-Iranian physicians and Iranians whose works are in Arabic have been excluded from this study.

The history of medicine in Iran is as old as the history of Iran itself; and its influence can be clearly seen in Persian language and literature. The root of the term“pezeshk” is Avestan(Baesha-za), which has changed to Baesha-zak in the Middle Persian and in Bejeshk and Pezeshk in Parsian, which is still used today. The names of many Iranian ancient therapists are associated today with widely used medical terms: Trita is one of the first Aryan therapists, and his name is the same as“treat”. The names of some ancient Iranians are considered as the first ones in the world of medicine, e.g., Mehrdad II Ashkani, the first immunologist. Besides, in this study, the influence of medicine on literature was proved in the poetry of Mashreqi Shirazi(970-1038 AH), a shiite poet.

Medicine is not an imported science to Iran and the history of medical science in this country is, as evidenced by history, as old as the history of Iran. This longevity can be seen in the Persian word “pezeshk” itself, and in the names of the first Aryan and Iranian physicians and the medical schools of ancient Iran. The global name of Medicine is taken from the first historical dynasty of Iran, Maad(Medi in Greek), and one of the first Maad healers, Cina(Cine) Moghani. In literature, it is apparent that Hakim Mashreqi was aware of medicine. Such awareness included the constituent elements of the body, name of some diseases, treatment and the name of some drugs.