How did ancient Babylonian people seek advice for illnesses?

In ancient Babylonia, seeking advice for illnesses involved a blend of communal customs and specialized religious practices. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, it was customary for the sick to be placed in the street so that passersby could offer advice based on their own experiences with similar ailments.1

Beyond this communal practice, Babylonians relied heavily on divination to understand the nature and course of a disease. This often involved hepatoscopy—the examination of the liver of a sacrificed animal—to interpret divine signs.21

For those seeking to address the spiritual causes of illness, such as the influence of demons or witchcraft, professional experts known as the āšipu or mašmašu were consulted. These practitioners diagnosed the source of the affliction and performed specific rituals, incantations, and exorcisms to combat the evil. While these methods were deeply rooted in the religious and magical worldview of the time, they were central to how the society approached health and healing.23