Soranus (Greek physician)
Encyclopedia
Soranus was a Greek physician from Ephesus
. He practiced in Alexandria
and subsequently in Rome
, and was one of the chief representatives of the Methodic school
of medicine. Several of his writings still survive, most notably his four-volume treatise on gynaecology
, and a Latin translation of his On Acute and Chronic Diseases.
(which has two entries on him) he was a native of Ephesus
, was the son of Menander and Phoebe, and practised medicine at Alexandria
and Rome
in the reigns of Trajan
and Hadrian
(98-138). He lived at least as early as Archigenes
, who used one of his medicines; he was tutor to Attalus
; and he was dead when Galen
wrote his work De Methodo Medendi, c. 178.
He belonged to the Methodic school
, and was one of the most eminent physicians of that school. Little else is known about his life, except that he passed some time in Aquitania
for the purpose of treating some skin diseases which were very prevalent there at the time.
is extant (first printed in 1838, later by V. Rose
, in 1882, with a 6th-century Latin translation by one Muscio
). Also extant are parts of treatises On Signs of Fractures and On Bandages. Of his most important work (On Acute and Chronic Diseases) only a few fragments in Greek remain, but we possess a complete Latin translation by Caelius Aurelianus
(5th century). The Life of Hippocrates
probably formed one of the collection of medical biographies by Soranus referred to in the Suda, and is valuable as the only authority for the life of the great physician, with the exception of articles in the Suda and in Stephanus of Byzantium
(s.v. ). The Introduction to the Science of Medicine is considered spurious.
Besides these works, Soranus was the author of several others, of which only the titles and some fragments have been preserved. Galen mentions two works on Pharmacy, from which he quotes some passages. Caelius Aurelianus
quotes from several other works, and Soranus himself refers to many additional works which have not survived. Tertullian
quotes a work De Anima, in four books, in which Soranus divided the soul
into seven parts, and denied its immortality. He is quoted by Paulus Aegineta, as being one of the earliest Greek medical writers who had described the Guinea Worm; and he appears to have enjoyed a great reputation among the ancients, as Augustine
calls him "Medicinae auctor nobilissimus," and Tertullian, "Methodicae Medicinae instructissimus auctor."
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
. He practiced in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and subsequently in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and was one of the chief representatives of the Methodic school
Methodic school
The Methodic school of medicine was an ancient school of medicine in ancient Greece and Rome. The Methodic school arose in reaction to both the Empiric school and the Dogmatic school...
of medicine. Several of his writings still survive, most notably his four-volume treatise on gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
, and a Latin translation of his On Acute and Chronic Diseases.
Life
Little is known about the life of Soranus. According to the SudaSuda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
(which has two entries on him) he was a native of Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, was the son of Menander and Phoebe, and practised medicine at Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in the reigns of Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
and Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
(98-138). He lived at least as early as Archigenes
Archigenes
Archigenes , an eminent ancient Greek physician, who lived in the 1st and 2nd centuries.He was the most celebrated of the sect of the Eclectici, and was a native of Apamea in Syria; he practised at Rome in the time of Trajan, 98-117, where he enjoyed a very high reputation for his professional skill...
, who used one of his medicines; he was tutor to Attalus
Attalus
Attalus may refer to:*Several members of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon**Attalus I, ruled 241 BC–197 BC**Attalus II Philadelphus, ruled 160 BC–138 BC**Attalus III, ruled 138 BC–133 BC...
; and he was dead when Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
wrote his work De Methodo Medendi, c. 178.
He belonged to the Methodic school
Methodic school
The Methodic school of medicine was an ancient school of medicine in ancient Greece and Rome. The Methodic school arose in reaction to both the Empiric school and the Dogmatic school...
, and was one of the most eminent physicians of that school. Little else is known about his life, except that he passed some time in Aquitania
Aquitania
Aquitania may refer to:* the territory of the Aquitani, a people living in Roman times in what is now Aquitaine, France* Aquitaine, a region of France roughly between the Pyrenees, the Atlantic ocean and the Garonne, also a former kingdom and duchy...
for the purpose of treating some skin diseases which were very prevalent there at the time.
Works
His treatise GynaecologyGynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
is extant (first printed in 1838, later by V. Rose
Valentin Rose (classicist)
Valentin Rose was a German classicist and textual critic.-Personal life:Valentin Rose was the son of mineralogist Gustav Rose , and a nephew to famed mineralogist Heinrich Rose and to the pharmacist Wilhelm Rose , of whom he published a brief remembrance...
, in 1882, with a 6th-century Latin translation by one Muscio
Muscio
Muscio is the supposed author of the Genecia , a treatise of gynecology dating to ca. AD 500, preserved in a manuscript of ca. AD 900. The treatise borrows heavily from Soranus....
). Also extant are parts of treatises On Signs of Fractures and On Bandages. Of his most important work (On Acute and Chronic Diseases) only a few fragments in Greek remain, but we possess a complete Latin translation by Caelius Aurelianus
Caelius Aurelianus
Caelius Aurelianus of Sicca in Numidia was a Roman physician and writer on medical topics. He is best known for his translation from Greek to Latin of a work by Soranus of Ephesus, On Acute and Chronic Diseases. He probably flourished in the 5th century, although some place him two or even three...
(5th century). The Life of Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
probably formed one of the collection of medical biographies by Soranus referred to in the Suda, and is valuable as the only authority for the life of the great physician, with the exception of articles in the Suda and in Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephen of Byzantium, also known as Stephanus Byzantinus , was the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled Ethnica...
(s.v. ). The Introduction to the Science of Medicine is considered spurious.
Besides these works, Soranus was the author of several others, of which only the titles and some fragments have been preserved. Galen mentions two works on Pharmacy, from which he quotes some passages. Caelius Aurelianus
Caelius Aurelianus
Caelius Aurelianus of Sicca in Numidia was a Roman physician and writer on medical topics. He is best known for his translation from Greek to Latin of a work by Soranus of Ephesus, On Acute and Chronic Diseases. He probably flourished in the 5th century, although some place him two or even three...
quotes from several other works, and Soranus himself refers to many additional works which have not survived. Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
quotes a work De Anima, in four books, in which Soranus divided the soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
into seven parts, and denied its immortality. He is quoted by Paulus Aegineta, as being one of the earliest Greek medical writers who had described the Guinea Worm; and he appears to have enjoyed a great reputation among the ancients, as Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
calls him "Medicinae auctor nobilissimus," and Tertullian, "Methodicae Medicinae instructissimus auctor."
Further reading
- Greek text
- Johannes Ilberg, Sorani Gynaeciorum libri IV, De signis fracturarum, De fasciis, Vita Hippocratis secundum Soranum, Corpus medicorum Graecorum 4, Berlin, 1927. (online)
- Paul Burguière, Danielle Gourevitch, and Yves Malinas, Maladies des femmes (with French translation), Collection BudéCollection BudéThe Collection Budé, or the Collection des Universités de France, is a series of books comprising the Greek and Latin classics up to the middle of the 6th century...
, 1988-.
- English translation
- Owsei Temkin et al., Soranus' Gynaecology, Johns Hopkins Press, 1956.