Galen: An Anthology

Galen of Pergamum (AD 129--c. 210), physician and philosopher, anatomist, logician, clinical and pharmacological theorist and researcher, and personal doctor to the emperor Marcus Aurelius, was the most influential and versatile medical author of the Graeco-Roman world. Galen: An Anthology provides the most comprehensive range of his medical, philosophical, and autobiographical works in English, each accompanied by a brief introduction and explanatory notes. Grouped by themes, the selected texts encompass the scope and variety of Galen's work, from the nature of his medical practice to the content of his philosophical theories.

This anthology includes revised translations of Galen's most accessible and interesting shorter works alongside fresh translations of excerpts from the most important longer ones--texts which are in many cases inaccessible or out of print. The translations rely on the latest scholarly research, and in the case of several works, on the findings of a recently discovered manuscript. The writings cover Galen's anatomical studies, physiological and philosophical theories, clinical practice, and the dramatic events of his high-profile career as physician to the imperial family at Rome. A voluminous author, Galen also reveals a variety of fascinating details on everyday life in the Roman world, including dietary practices, education, literary and intellectual culture, doctor--patient relationships, and bitterly conducted medical rivalries. A general introduction by the volume's editor gives a summary of Galen's work and intellectual contribution, discussing his position in the scientific and literary culture of his time and his immense legacy from antiquity down to today.