Wise Women and Witches

The Dark Ages 300AD to 10Th Century

During this time, Europe was plunged into a depression. It is not totally clear as to why such ignorance followed on from the relatively advanced and enlightened Roman times. Although conquerors and patriarchs, the Romans at least encouraged the Arts and scientific endeavour.

By the end of the 5th Century it was forbidden to study medicine, philosophy, mathematics and geography. No Christian could study astronomy whilst astrology was considered a diabolical art.

By the end of the 2nd Century AD, almost all female representations of God and divinity had been erased. The Church set about destroying all traces of pre-Christian culture and religion. Pagan temples were systematically destroyed and many parts of pagan belief were ‘Christianised’. E.g. Beltane became all Saints Day, Yule became Christmas, and Mary mother of Jesus replaced the Queen of Heaven.

In the 3rd Century AD there were many great outbreaks of plague, famine and unrest. Many educated people fled to Persia, Celtic Britain and India to escape persecution.

The study of medicine was forbidden because the Church taught that all diseases were caused by demons and could only be cured by clergy exorcising them.

In the early days of Christianity, women were able to continue as healers and physicians but it became increasingly difficult.

Trotula of Salerno

Salerno was and is a famous health spa near Naples in Southern Italy. In the Middle Ages, Salerno was famous for its climate, mineral springs and physicians. It was known as the Hippocratic city; a place to which the sick and poor would flock. Salerno tolerate women scholars and their practice. The medical school was the only one at that time which opened its doors to women as well as Jewish and Muslim people. The most noted and successful practitioner amongst the women at Salerno was Trotula. She is believed to have lived during the 11th Century and it is thought that she occupied the chair of medicine at the school of Salerno and to have run an extensive clinical practice. She was also the author of many famous medical works. Much of her work focused on illness affecting women and she contributed a great deal with her detailed knowledge of female anatomy and physiology and her frank discussions of female sexuality.

Morgan Le Fay

She was a priestess-healer similar to those in Ancient Egypt and Classical Greece. Her role was to concern herself with the welfare of her flock in physical, mental and emotional domains. Mallory’s ‘Morte d’Arthur’ describes how she healed some of Arthur’s knights and even Arthur himself. However, in time the story was corrupted and she was cast in the role of a wicked and cunning witch who plotted Arthur’s downfall. The idea that women were inherently evil grew (Eve), and women who practised healing were especially diabolical. This set the scene for what was to come.