[Surgery of the spleen in antiquity]

Splenic surgery, a common practice in Antiquity? Such a question will appear somewhat provocative despite an ample mention of such facts in Roman and Greek classic literature. This paper intends to explore the large border standing between myths where the spleen keeps a major place and reality which is, on this subject, far from easy to decipher. In final analysis, it seems likely that there had always existed, from the very early ages, some form of splenic cauterisation. The type of procedures reported in the texts cannot be interpreted as variant of the ritual scarifications widely practised until recently in many countries. On the other hand, the idea that physicians, at the time of Antiquity, could perform splenectomy does not seem, in spite of Ancient authors assumptions, to be considered. In fact, there is no direct testimony available on this subject in Latin or Greek medical literature. We suggest that the so-called "splenectomies" of Antiquity could have been surgical "make-believes" closely similar to the quack practices which can be yet observed in some remote countries.