Theophilus Protospatharius
Encyclopedia
Theophilus Protospatharius , the author of several Greek medical works, which are still extant, and of which it is not quite certain whether some do not belong to Philaretus and Philotheus. Every thing connected with his titles, the events of his life, and the time when he lived, is uncertain. He is generally called "Protospatharius", which seems to have been originally a military title given to the colonel of the bodyguards of the emperor of Constantinople
(Spatharioi); but which afterwards became also a high court title
, or was at any rate associated with the government of provinces and the functions of a judge.
With respect to the life of Theophilus, if we trust to the titles of the manuscripts of his works, we may conjecture that he lived in the seventh century; that he was the tutor to Stephanus Atheniensis; that he arrived at high professional and political rank; and that at last he embraced the monastic life. All this is, however, quite uncertain; and with respect to his date, it has been supposed that some of the words which he uses belong to a later period than the seventh century; so that he may possibly be the same person who is addressed by the title "Protospatharius " by Photius, in the ninth. He appears to have embraced in some degree the Peripatetic philosophy; but he was certainly a Christian
, and expresses himself on all possible occasions like a man of great piety: in his physiological work especially he everywhere points out with admiration the wisdom, power, and goodness of God as displayed in the formation of the human body.
Five works are attributed to him:, De Corporis Humani Fabrica. The longest of his works, and is an anatomical and physiological treatise in five books. It contains very little original matter, as it is almost entirely abridged from Galen
's great work, "De Usu Partium Corporis Humani," from which however Theophilus now and then differs, and which he sometimes appears to have misunderstood. In the fifth book he has inserted large extracts from Hippocrates
' "De Genitura," and "De Natura Pueri." He recommends in several places the dissection
of animals, but he does not appear ever to have examined a human body: in one passage he advises the student to dissect an ape
, or else a bear
, or, if neither of these animals can be procured, to take whatever he can get, "but by all means," he adds, "let him dissect something."
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(Spatharioi); but which afterwards became also a high court title
Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy
The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of aristocracy and bureaucracy, which was inherited from the Roman Empire. At the apex of the pyramid stood the Emperor, sole ruler and divinely ordained, but beneath him a multitude of officials and court functionaries operated the administrative...
, or was at any rate associated with the government of provinces and the functions of a judge.
With respect to the life of Theophilus, if we trust to the titles of the manuscripts of his works, we may conjecture that he lived in the seventh century; that he was the tutor to Stephanus Atheniensis; that he arrived at high professional and political rank; and that at last he embraced the monastic life. All this is, however, quite uncertain; and with respect to his date, it has been supposed that some of the words which he uses belong to a later period than the seventh century; so that he may possibly be the same person who is addressed by the title "Protospatharius " by Photius, in the ninth. He appears to have embraced in some degree the Peripatetic philosophy; but he was certainly a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, and expresses himself on all possible occasions like a man of great piety: in his physiological work especially he everywhere points out with admiration the wisdom, power, and goodness of God as displayed in the formation of the human body.
Five works are attributed to him:, De Corporis Humani Fabrica. The longest of his works, and is an anatomical and physiological treatise in five books. It contains very little original matter, as it is almost entirely abridged from Galen
Galen
Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...
's great work, "De Usu Partium Corporis Humani," from which however Theophilus now and then differs, and which he sometimes appears to have misunderstood. In the fifth book he has inserted large extracts from 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...
' "De Genitura," and "De Natura Pueri." He recommends in several places the dissection
Dissection
Dissection is usually the process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the functions and relationships of its components....
of animals, but he does not appear ever to have examined a human body: in one passage he advises the student to dissect an ape
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
, or else a bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, or, if neither of these animals can be procured, to take whatever he can get, "but by all means," he adds, "let him dissect something."
- A treatise , De Urinis, which, in like manner, contains little or nothing that is original, but is a good compendium of what was known on the subject by the ancients, and was highly esteemed in the Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, serving as a source of Gilles de CorbeilGilles de CorbeilGilles de Corbeil was a French royal physician, teacher, and poet. He was born in approximately 1140 and died in the first quarter of the 13th century...
's poem De Urinis.
- A short treatise , De Excrementis Alvinis
- A Commentary on the "Aphorisms" of Hippocrates, which is sometimes attributed to a person named Philotheus.
- A short treatise , De Pulsibus. It appears to be quite different from the work on the same subject by Philaretus, which has been sometimes attributed to Theophilus. Also the source for a poem of Gilles de Corbeil.