Samuel Sarfati known as Gallo, was a prominent Italian physician and leader of the Jewish community in Rome.

Family

Samuel Sarfati was the father of Joseph Sarfati (d. 1577), personal physician and medical adviser to Pope Clement VII

Pope Clement VII

Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...

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Status and privileges

Originally from Provence

Provence

Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...

, Sarfati moved to Rome in 1498. After settling in Rome, Pope Alexander VI

Pope Alexander VI

Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...

 extended privileges on him such as permission to treat Christian patients and permission to not wear the special distinguishing Jewish badge that Jews were required to wear. He was a community leader, and represented the Jewish community at the coronation of Pope Julius II in 1503.

Physician to the pope

In 1504, Sarfati became the Pontifical Archiater

Archiater

An archiater was a chief physician of a monarch, who typically retained several. At the Roman imperial court, their chief held the high rank and specific title of Comes archiatrorum.The term has also been used of chief physicians in communities...

 during the reign of Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...

. In August 1511, according to Erasmus, Sarfati successfully treated a "serious illness" of Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II , nicknamed "The Fearsome Pope" and "The Warrior Pope" , born Giuliano della Rovere, was Pope from 1503 to 1513...

, which some historians theorize might have been syphilis

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...

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Other notable patients

In 1515, Sarfati became the physician of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici

Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici

Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici was an Italian nobleman, one of three sons of Lorenzo the Magnificent.-Biography:He was born in Florence, Italy. His brothers were Piero and Giovanni de' Medici....

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