AUTHORS: Ilaria Sabbatini

WORK PACKAGE: WP 7 REVER

URL: https://iris.unipa.it/handle/10447/703967

Keywords:  medieval hospital, thermal baths, San Martino ai Bagni Caldi, Corsena, Galenic medicine, Christian charity, body care, Middle Ages, thermal practices, historiography

Abstract
The contribution analyzes the origins and development of the medieval hospital of San Martino ai Bagni Caldi within the context of Italian thermal practices between the 14th and 16th centuries, challenging the historiographical assumption of a general medieval rejection of the body. Through the analysis of sources, it shows that the use of thermal baths was a widespread and socially accepted practice, integrated into both Galenic medicine and Christian charity. The documentary reconstruction of the baths of Corsena highlights the role of institutions, key actors, and regulatory frameworks, proposing a model in which care of the body, assistance, and religiosity are closely intertwined.