The book is a course of lectures written by the author for a proposed special course at the University of Latvia (Riga), which, unfortunately, did not take place. The book is envisioned as the beginning of a series on the history of ancient medicine, which should also include works on the medicine of the Ancient East, Syria and Palestine, Asia Minor, Iran (before the Arab conquest), Greece and Rome. The author, a philologist by training, will be grateful to specialists, especially in the field of medicine, for critical comments regarding possible errors.