Herophilus, a contemporary of Euclid, practiced medicine in Alexandria in the third century B.C., and seems to have been the first Western scientist to dissect the human body. He made especially impressive contributions to many branches of anatomy and also developed influential views on many other aspects of medicine. Von Staden assembles the fragmentary evidence concerning one of the more important scientists of ancient Greece. Part 1 of the book presents the Greek and Latin texts accompanied by English translation and interpretative commentary. Significant background information is given in the introductory essay preceding each chapter. Part 2 briefly sketches the major developments within the Herophilean school after Herophilus, and discusses the individual members within it. Anyone interested in the history of science, the history of medicine, or intellectual history will find this book a rich source of information about an unusual and important aspect of Greek culture.

Von Staden assembles the fragmentary evidence concerning one of the more important scientists of ancient Greece.
Reviews
"We have been waiting for a long time for an authoritative collection of this ancient material. Now we have more than we could have hoped for....Quite simply, von Staden's Herophilus is one of the finest and richest pieces of classical scholarship to have appeared in many years....Its impact, not only on the study of ancient medicine, but on science and philosophy is only beginning to be felt." J.T. Vallance, Ancient Philosophy
"One of the highest achievements of 20th Century scholarship in ancient Greek medicine" Paul Potter, University of Western Ontario, Bulletin of the History of Medicine



Book Information
ISBN 9780521041782
Author Herophilus
Format Paperback
Page Count 712
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 1058g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 153mm * 40mm