The Greek thinker Plutarch of Chaeronea (1st-2nd century AD) noticed that our lives are divided between rest and exertion.
For instance, there are occasions once we are working and occasions once we are on holidays. He mentioned relaxation was necessary:
Relaxation provides relish to labour.
In historic Greece and Rome, many individuals additionally recognised that taking a vacation was a chance to revive the well being of the physique and thoughts.
Nonetheless, not everybody was satisfied holidays had been wholesome and even a good suggestion.
Take a vacation. It’ll do you good
Within the historic world, individuals typically went on holidays to attempt to enhance their psychological and bodily situation. This often meant transferring from one local weather to a different, hoping this may assist.
In one among his letters, the Roman author and jurist Pliny the Youthful (1st-2nd century AD) writes about how he tried to treatment a person referred to as Zosimus of an sickness that made him spit blood.
Pliny despatched him on a vacation to Egypt. Zosimus returned after an extended vacation “with his health restored”.
Nonetheless, Zosimus turned sick once more. So Pliny despatched him on one other vacation, this time to Gallia Narbonensis (in modern-day southern France). Pliny tells us in his letter:
the air is wholesome there and the milk glorious for treating this sort of [illness].
Pliny thought Gallia Narbonensis (within the south of France) was a great spot for a vacation.
Bibliothèque nationale de France/Wikimedia
However watch the place you go and the way you get there
Individuals additionally sought out or prevented particular locations, relying on whether or not the locations had been thought-about wholesome or not.
The doctor Galen (about 129-216AD) tells us the water at Mytilene, on the Greek island of Lesbos, had qualities to deal with varied sicknesses, together with hydrops, a sort of fluid build-up that results in swelling:
This water is appropriate each for these with hydrops and for the opposite swellings, being strongly drying. Equally, it’s also appropriate for individuals who are overweight, and notably when somebody additionally compels them to swim extra in it rapidly, and after bathing extra, to not drink or eat instantly […].
Docs additionally suggested individuals to hunt out or keep away from particular modes of journey.
As an example, when treating complications, the doctor Caelius Aurelianus wrote about the advantages of sea voyages:
Sea voyages imperceptibly and step by step open the bodily pores, give rise to a burning impact by motive of the saltiness of the ocean, and, by working a change, restore the bodily situation. We should attempt to prepare voyages to locations the place the local weather is delicate and the north wind prevails, situations the alternative of these which might irritate the illness.
However he suggested in opposition to travelling on contemporary water:
Voyages on rivers, bays, and lakes are thought-about unsuitable, since they trigger the top to turn into moist and chilly by motive of the exhalation from the earth.
It’s simple to overdo it on vacation
Not everybody in antiquity thought holidays had been wholesome. Some thought holidays may very well be dangerous, as a result of we typically drank or ate an excessive amount of.
The doctor Galen mentioned some individuals tended to eat and drink an excessive amount of on holidays.
Pierre Roche Vigneron/Wikimedia
For instance, the doctor Galen complained about how individuals on holidays tended to make their well being worse slightly than higher.
In his work Hygiene, Galen noticed that people who find themselves unwell due to their tough work routine, similar to slaves, wanted the chance to revive their well being by having a vacation.
However Galen famous these individuals didn’t at all times use holidays to revive their well being as a result of they used holidays to eat and drink an excessive amount of:
They’re able to make such provision for themselves throughout these days on which there’s some public competition, once they free themselves from the companies of a slave. However as a consequence of lack of management they not solely do nothing to right these issues gathering deleteriously within the physique, however additionally they fill themselves filled with this stuff by consuming badly.
The Greek author Athenaeus (2nd-Third century AD) mentions how “everyone […] eagerly awaits festivals”, as a result of on festive holidays the tables are filled with drink and meals. Clearly, it was simple to eat and drink an excessive amount of.
Holidays waste time and are just for the lazy
Within the historic world, individuals typically complained holidays had been a waste of treasured time.
The thinker Seneca (1st century BC-1st century AD) mentioned the spiritual observe of taking each Sunday away from work meant individuals wasted “a seventh of their life”.
Equally, the author Claudius Aelian (2nd-Third century AD) mentioned holidays had been merely devised as an excuse to be lazy:
Have a look at you males – devising countless pretexts and excuses for idling!
How do you need to spend your time?
Whereas many people will use our holidays to relaxation and recuperate, others might want to, or select to, work this festive season.
The ancients would have mentioned that holidays current new prospects, not only for our well being however for different issues too. For instance, Pliny the Youthful typically used holidays to check Greek. It’s onerous to disagree with that.
