Themison of Laodicea

Themison of Laodicea, (Greek: Θεμίσων), 1st century BC, was the founder of the Methodic school of medicine, and one of the most eminent physicians of his time.

He was a native of Laodicea in Syria,[1] and a pupil of Asclepiades of Bithynia.[2] Nothing more is known about the events of his life except that he seems to have travelled a great deal; as he mentions Crete and Milan, apparently as an eye-witness.[3] Neither is it certain if he ever visited Rome, though it is perhaps more probable that he did so. He differed from his teacher on several points in his old age, and became the founder of a new sect called the Methodic school (Methodici), which long exercised an extensive influence on medical science.[4] He wrote several medical works, but in what language is not mentioned; of these only the titles and a few fragments remain, preserved principally by Caelius Aurelianus, for example: Libri Periodici; Epistolae in at least nine books; Celeres Passiones in at least two books; Tardae Passiones in at least two books; Liber Salutaria; De Plantagine.[5]

He was perhaps the first physician who made use of leeches,[6] and he is said to have been attacked with hydrophobia, and to have recovered.[7] Eudemus and Proculus are said to have been followers (Latin: sectatores) of Themison, which may only mean that they belonged to the Methodic school.[8]

Themison is also quoted by Soranus.[9] Juvenal satirises a physician by the name of Themison,[10] but whether he means this Themison, or some contemporary, is unknown.

References

  1. ^ Pseudo-Galen, Introd. c. 4, vol. xiv.
  2. ^ Pliny, H. N. xxix. 5
  3. ^ Caelius Aurelianus, De Morb. Acut. iii. 18
  4. ^ Celsus, De Med. i. praef.; Galen, De Meth. Med. i. 4, 7. vol x.
  5. ^ Pliny, H. N. xxv. 39; Macer Flor. De Vir. Herb. c. 6. v. 265
  6. ^ Caelius Aurelianus, De Morb. Chron. i. 1
  7. ^ Caelius Aurelianus, De Morb. Acut. iii. 16; Dioscorides, De Venen. Animal. c. 1. vol. ii.
  8. ^ Caelius Aurelianus, De Morb. Acut. ii. 38, De Morb. Chron. iii. 8
  9. ^ Soranus, De Arte Obstetr.
  10. ^ Juvenal, Sat. x. 221

Sources

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).