Adelle of the Saracens (fl. 12th century) was a physician of Arab descent and the Islamic heritage, based in SalernoinSouthern Italy. Her people, at the time, were referred to as Saracens by the Italian and European Christians. She practiced medicine and was a lay teacher at the Salerno Medical School. Her medical practice included Medieval Islamic and Early Italian renaissance ideals, including humanism.
Saracens in Italy were inhabiting southern regions of Italy. The term Saracen (/ˈsærəsən/ SARR-ə-sən) was a term used by Italian and European Christians during the Middle Ages to refer to a Muslims—usually Arabs, Turks, and Iranians. The term's meaning evolved during its history of usage: in the early centuries of Christianity, both Greek and Latin writings used "Saracen" to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the RomansasArabia Petraea and Arabia Deserta.[1][2][3] During the Early Middle Ages, the term came to be associated with the tribes of Arabia.[4]
Salerno encompassed an important medical school founded during the Medieval times. It based its curriculum and lifestyle off of many different influences such as Greek, Arabic, Latin, and Hebrew. As one of the first medical schools that was founded around the 9th century in Italy, it greatly influenced the medical works and thought process of the Medieval Times. In addition, women also had the ability to contribute their ideals at this school. This was particularly significant because during this time period, a woman's medical opinion was still narrowly considered as substantial, or even correct. Additionally, when it was founded, Salerno Medical School was the only medical school in Europe to open its doors for women. Cultural shifts like these with women in the medical field gave physicians newer ways of thinking. This includes their contributions like backing the idea of the requirement of physicians to have certifications to practice and adding a different viewpoint to some anatomy textbooks which were pertinent in the development of modern-day medicine.[5]
Going into the Italian Renaissance, many medical professionals and physicians pursued their careers with a humanist way of thinking. Humanism refers to the sole focus on humans as a physical being rather than seeing them as being influenced by any supernatural forces. It was a more rational thought process and strictly emphasized the focus on human needs. These influences were particularly seen in translation efforts of Greek manuscripts.[6]
