Historical Figures

Dorotea Bocchi, doctor and academic

Known as Dorotea Bocchi, Dorotea Bucca (1360–1436) was an Italian doctor at the University of Bologna.

The University of Bologna

Created in 1088 [1] , three centuries before the birth of Dorotea Bocchi, the University of Bologna is considered the oldest European university. It was born from the association of foreign students, gathered in a student society to fight against the collective punishments imposed on foreigners for the crimes of their compatriots. They call on teachers from existing schools in the city, grammarians, theologians, to teach law in informal meetings. The University of Bologna was born.

In 1158, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa promulgated the Authentica habita. A founding text for universities, this constitution grants privileges to students, such as the right to travel freely, and puts an end to collective punishment. In addition to law, over time, new chairs for the teaching of medicine, rhetoric, oriental languages, mathematics or even Greek.

A chair at the University of Bologna

The life of Dorotea Bocchi is poorly known. His father, Giovanni Bocchi, also an academic, holds a chair of medicine and philosophy at the University of Bologna.

From 1390 and for forty years, Dorotea Bocchi occupied in turn the chair of medicine and philosophy previously occupied by her father. His longevity in office, as well as sources from the time, indicate that his teaching gave satisfaction to the students and the university.

Italian teachers

Although rare, women seem to have been able to make greater contributions in Italian schools and universities than in other European countries. The University of Bologna welcomes its first female professor from the 13 th century; Bettisa Gozzadini, a law professor, is considered the very first woman to have taught at a university.

Others have also, like Dorotea Bocchi, taught, written and conducted research in the field of medicine. From the 11 th century, Trotula of Salerno, a member of the School of Salerno, wrote books on women's health and undertook to clear the field of gynecology. Other names of female physicians from medieval Italy, sometimes also linked to the School of Salerno, have come down to us, including Mercuriade, Abella Salernitana or Rebecca de Guarna,

[1] The date of the foundation of the University of Bologna is uncertain. The date of 1088 was set to the 19 th century by a committee of historians chaired by the Italian poet Giosuè Carducci.