Aetius of Amida on Diseases of the Brain

Translation and Commentary of >Libri medicinales< 6.1–10 with Introduction

Ricarda Gäbel

• Éditeur: De Gruyter
• Année: 2022
• ISBN:
  9783110795127
• Édition: 1
• Sujet: Historia
• Sous-sujet: Historia antigua

In earlier scholarship, the late antique medical compilations of Oribasius of Pergamon, Aetius of Amida and Paul of Aegina were rather neglected and were believed to add nothing new themselves to what Galen, in particular, had to say. By now, scholarship has undergone a positive change in attitude towards these authors and their works. This book contributes to this modern picture of late antiquity as a vibrant and fascinating period through close analysis of the work of Aetius of Amida (6th century CE). It offers the very first modern translation of chapters 1–10 of the sixth book of Aetius' Libri medicinales as well as a detailed commentary on these chapters. Together with an extensive introduction it thus makes Aetius' treatise accessible to a wider audience and takes into account Aetius' craft as a compiler by analyzing his literary and compilation techniques. Book 6 of Aetius' compilation is especially interesting because it deals with diseases of the brain and thus also discusses mental illnesses such as phrenitis, melancholia or mania. Therefore, this volume also sheds light on the treatment of brain diseases in late antiquity and furthers our understanding of the history of mental disorders in ancient medical texts.

Table des matières

• Table of contents
• Acknowledgements
• How to use this book
• General introduction
• 1 The aim and structure of this study
• 2 Medicine in late antiquity
• 3 Aetius of Amida
• 4 Diseases of the brain and mental illness
• Olivieri’s text and my translation
• List of changes to Olivieri’s edition
• Commentary
• VI 1 On hydrokephaloi from Leonides
• VI 2 On phrenitis from (the books of) Posidonius
• VI 3 On lethargia from (the books of) Archigenes and Posidonius
• VI 4 On katalepsis from (the books of) Archigenes and Posidonius
• VI 5 On karos from Posidonius
• VI 6 On koma from (the books of) Posidonius
• VI 7 On those who suffer from skotoma (from the books of) Archigenes and Posidonius
• VI 8 On mania from (the books of) Archigenes and Posidonius
• VI 9 On melancholia from (the books of) Galen and Rufus and Posidonius
• VI 10 Therapy of those who suffer from melancholia
• Bibliography
• Indices
• 1 Index of Olivieri’s Greek text
• 2 Index of the translation
• 3 Index of passages cited
• 4 Index of the commentary