Salle des Actes
In Montpellier, for this solemn moment, students don the robes of Rabelais, a former student and teacher at the Faculty, a 19th-century copy of which is preserved in the hall.
Formerly the bishops' conclave room, it has been the place where theses are defended for over 200 years, under the gaze of 91 paintings of 19th-century professors, and "under the effigy of Hippocrates", an antique bust donated to the Faculty by Bonaparte in 1801.
The Salle des Actes, dedicated to Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, is a place of great historical symbolism. Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the 5th century BC, was a pioneer of rational medicine. Before him, medicine was mainly magical, strongly influenced by religious beliefs and ritual practices.
Hippocrates introduced the idea that diseases had natural and not divine causes, marking the transition to a scientific approach to medicine.
This room contains a bust of Hippocrates, presented to the Faculty by Napoleon Bonaparte on June 3, 1801, at the initiative of Jean-Antoine Chaptal, former chemistry professor at Montpellier and statesman under Bonaparte. This bust, dating from the 1st or 2nd century A.D., is a precious representation of the ancient medical heritage.
Busts of Asclepius and Hygie: symbols of ancient medicine
In addition to the bust of Hippocrates, the room houses busts of Asclepius (Aesculapius) and Hygie, two key figures in Greek medical mythology. Asclepius, son of Apollo and god of medicine, is often depicted with his staff, coiled by a serpent, the symbol of healing and medical knowledge. His daughter Hygie is the goddess of health and prevention, while his sister Panacea embodies the universal remedy. These symbolic figures form the trinity of ancient medical thought: healing (Asclepius), prevention (Hygie) and treatment (Panacea).
Chaptal commissioned these busts as a reminder of the intellectual heritage of ancient medicine. It should be noted that Hippocratic coprus was officially taught in Montpellier from the founding of the University until the Revolution, and that Barthez theorized vitalism, a "neo-Hippocratic" doctrine linking Hippocrates and the modern sciences of the 18th century (chemistry, biology).
The story of Asclepius and magical medicine: from sanctuaries to asclepiad physicians
In ancient times, medicine was first and foremost linked to religion. Sanctuaries dedicated to Asclepius, such as Epidaurus, were places where patients came for treatment. These treatments were based on rituals, with patients drinking herbal teas, praying and having dreams, which were then interpreted by priests to determine the treatment. This was magical medicine.
However, the Asclepiades, descendants of Asclepius, were a line of physicians, not priests, who practiced a more empirical and rational medicine, albeit still rooted in divine filiation. Hippocrates belonged to this line and was the first to formulate a medicine based on rational principles, breaking with magical thinking.
The architecture of the Salle des Actes: a chapel transformed into a place dedicated to medicine
The Salle des Actes is unique in Montpellier. At first glance, its architecture is reminiscent of a chapel, and with good reason: it was originally the private chapel of the bishops of Montpellier and the synodal hall (where the bishop's council met) before being transformed into a solemn hall for thesis defenses and faculty ceremonies. Frescoes (grey) depicting patron saints such as Saint Charles Borromeo and Saint Paul adorn the walls, testifying to the building's religious origins.
The vaulted ceiling features grisailles (monochrome paintings) that recall this ecclesiastical era. However, in 1804, the hall was transformed into a place dedicated to medicine, a space where the legacy of Hippocrates blends with the building's Christian history.
One of the highlights of this room is the Rabelais robe, a traditional red toga associated with the illustrious writer and physician François Rabelais, who studied at Montpellier's Faculty of Medicine in the 16th century. This gown, mentioned in archives as early as 1612, is surrounded by a peculiar anecdote: over the years, students would symbolically take pieces of it, probably to preserve a part of the legacy of Rabelais and the institution. This practice was part of a reverence for academic tradition.
Over time, the toga had become damaged and worn. In the 17th century, Dean Ranchin decided to restore it. In his profession de foi before his election, he promised to have Rabelais's gown remade, which testifies to the importance of this symbol in the Montpellier university community. This is one of the earliest examples of a doctoral gown associated with a historical figure, and its preservation embodies the durability of Montpellier's academic traditions.
This red gown, worn for solemn ceremonies, has been handed down and restored over the centuries, linking the rich history of the faculty with the modernity of its teaching. Today, it remains a symbol of unity and authenticity for the academic community, carrying with it the legacy of Rabelais and the first generations of students.
The Hippocratic Oath: from Antiquity to Montpellier
The Hippocratic Oath, written around the 4th century BC, is one of the founding texts of medical ethics. In Montpellier, this oath has taken on particular importance. In 1804, a new oath inspired by Hippocrates was introduced for new doctors at the faculty, marking a turning point in modern medical training. This was the first example of a systematically sworn oath in a medical faculty.
Although the oath has been adapted over the centuries, it remains an essential reference for Montpellier's medical students. It emphasizes ethics, probity, medical secrecy, the family nature of the medical community, and the transmission of knowledge - values that are still fundamental to the training of doctors today.
Click here to add your own text
Click here to add your own text
Click here to add your own text
