   agnodice or agnodike (c. 4th century bce) (gr. ) was the first female athenian physician, midwife, and gynecologist, whose life was recounted by gaius julius hyginus. hyginus, who lived in the 1st century bce, wrote about agnodice in his fabulae. ==early life== agnodice was born into a wealthy family in athens, greece. her desire to become a physician initiated from witnessing increased numbers of women dying or undergoing painful childbirths. though women were allowed to learn gynecology, obstetrics, healing, and midwifery in the time of hippocrates, after his death the leaders of athens discovered that women were performing abortions, and made becoming a female doctor a capital crime. agnodice, determined to become a physician and help the women of athens, cut her hair and donned the clothes of a man to pursue medical training. agnodice then used an alleged friendâs sickness to account for her future leave to pursue medical training. she then left athens to study medicine in nearby egypt, where women played an important role in the medical community. ==medicine== agnodice received her medical education in alexandria, and studied under herophilos, the great anatomist of his day. soon after acquiring the requisite qualifications, she continued to dress as a man in order to treat the women of athens. one day, agnodice heard a woman crying out as she was undergoing labor. agnodice then went to care for the women in labor, but the woman refused male aid. after revealing herself as a woman, the woman allowed agnodice to treat her successfully. during the time, women dreaded calling in professional assistance. agnodice symbolized the trust and comfort between women aiding women. before long, many women heard about agnodice being disguised as a male and sought for her care. agnodice popularity grew the women from the city of athens began to seek her aid rather than male physicians. ==trial== when male physicians began to see that their ser
4th-century_BC_Greek_people 4th-century_BC_women Ancient_Athenians Ancient_Greek_physicians Ancient_Greek_women Ancient_gynaecologists Ancient_women_physicians