BYZANTINE MEDICINE
THE second great stream which carried Greek medicine to modern days runs
through the Eastern Empire. Between the third century and the fall of
Constantinople there was a continuous series of Byzantine physicians
whose inspiration was largely derived from the old Greek sources. The
most distinguished of these was Oribasius, a voluminous compiler, a
native of Pergamon and so close a follower of his great townsman that he
has been called "Galen's ape." He left many works, an edition of which
was edited by Bussemaker and Daremberg. Many facts relating to the older
writers are recorded in his writings. He was a contemporary, friend as
well as the physician, of the Emperor Julian, for whom he prepared an
encyclopaedia of the medical sciences.
Other important Byzantine writers were Aetius and Alexander of Tralles,
both of whom were strongly under the influence of Galen and Hippocrates.
Their materia medica was based largely upon Dioscorides.
From Byzantium we have the earliest known complete medical manuscript,
dating from the fifth century--a work of Dioscorides--one of the most
beautiful in existence. It was prepared for Anicia Juliana, daughter of
the Emperor of the East, and is now one of the great treasures of the
Imperial Library at Vienna.
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