In Greek, the anargyroi, or Unmercenaries, were physicians who treated patients without charge, and the Greek word means 'silverless'. The earliest were said to be the sisters Zenaida and Philonella from first-century Tarsus, who competed with pagan doctors selling amulets. The most famous were the brothers Cosmas and Damian, Arabian-born physicians later venerated as saints, who became patrons of physicians. The Hippocratic tradition supported this ethic: a doctor should prioritise treatment over fees and sometimes give services for nothing. Ancient Greek and Roman communities also paid doctors from public funds, although these systems mostly served citizens and soldiers rather than the poorest.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.