Xenocrates of Aphrodisias

Xenocrates (Greek: Ξενοκράτης) was an ancient Greek physician from Aphrodisias in Cilicia.[1] He lived around the middle of the 1st century and was maybe the contemporary of Andromachus the Younger.[2] Galen says that Xenocrates lived before himself.[3] He was blamed by Galen for using disgusting cures like human brains, flesh, liver, ash from bone, urine, excrement, etc.[3] One of Xenocrates' works on pharmacy was titled On Useful Things from Living Beings (Greek: Περὶ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν Ζώων Ὠφελείας).[4] Xenocrates is quoted by Galen, Clement of Alexandria,[5] Artemidorus,[6] Pliny the Elder,[7] Oribasius,[8] Aëtius Amidenus,[9] and Alexander of Tralles.[10] There is also a summary of Xenocrates' work on sea creatures (Greek: Περὶ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν Ἐνύδρων Τροφῆς) preserved by Oribasius.[11]

References

Citations

  1. Galen, De Simplic. Medicam. Temper, ac Facult., vi. praef. vol. xi. p. 793.
  2. Galen, De Compos. Medicam. sec. Loc., iii. 1, vol. xii. p. 627; De Ther. ad Pis., c. 12. vol. xiv. p. 260.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Galen, De Simplic. Medicam. Temper. ac Facult., x. 1. vol. xii. p. 248.
  4. Galen, De Simplic. Medicam. Temper, ac Facult., x. 2. § 4, vol. xii. p. 261.
  5. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, i. p. 717.
  6. Artemidorus, Oneirocr., iv. 24.
  7. Pliny, H. N., xx. 82.
  8. Oribasius, Coll. Medic., ii 58, p. 225.
  9. Aëtius, i. 2. 84, iv. 2. 35, 3. 14, pp. 75, 706, 760.
  10. Alexander of Tralles, i. 15, xii. 8, pp. 156, 344.
  11. See Oribasius' Coll. Medic.

Sources

  • Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.