page_title: Timeline of psychiatry
section_title: Early history of psychiatry
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of psychiatry / Early history of psychiatry
context_page_description: This is a timeline of the modern development of psychiatry. Related information can be found in the Timeline of psychology and Timeline of psychotherapy articles.
context_section_description: 1550 BCE
  The Ebers papyrus, one of the most important medical papyri of
  ancient Egypt, briefly mentioned clinical depression.
  6th century BCE
  600 B.C., many cities had temples to Asklepios known as an Asklepieion that provided cures for psychosomatic illnesses
  4th century BCE
  Greek physician Hippocrates theorized that physiological abnormalities may be the root of mental disorders.
  280 BCE
  Greek physician and philosopher Herophilus studied the nervous system and distinguished between sensory nerves and motor nerves.
  250 BCE
  Greek anatomist Erasistratus studied the brain and distinguished between the cerebrum and cerebellum.
  9th century
  The first bimaristan was built in Baghdad, followed by several others throughout the Arab world. By the 13th century, they had become large, complex, and divided into several different specialized units. A number of these hospitals contained wards for mentally ill patients.
  11th century
  Persian physician Avicenna recognized "physiological psychology" in the treatment of illnesses involving emotions, and developed a system for associating changes in the pulse rate with inner feelings.
  1247
  Bethlehem Royal Hospital in Bishopsgate outside the wall of London, one of the most famous old psychiatric hospitals was founded as a priory of the Order of St. Mary of Bethlem to collect alms for Crusaders; after the English government secularized it, it started admitting mental patients by 1377 (1403?), becoming known as Bedlam Hospital; in 1547 it was acquired by the City of London, operating until 1948; it is now part of the British NHS Foundation Trust.
caption: A page from the Ebers Papyrus.
exif: {}