Asclepiades of Bithynia (1st - 2nd Century BC) Atomic Theory in Caelius Aurelianus (5th Century AD) Work on Acute and Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Asclepiades of Bithynia (2nd half of the first century to the 1st half of the second century BC) was a physician and a philosopher who was influenced a lot by Epicurus (341 – 270 BC); however, he managed to form his own medical theory. Very helpful to understand the medical theory of Asclepiades of Bithynia is the Latin translation of Soranus of Ephesus (2nd half of the first century to 1st half of the second century AD) work on acute and on chronic diseases by Caelius Aurelianus (5th century AD). Asclepiades of Bithynia medical theory was applied to the interpretation of many different diseases, in which the physician combined the principles of Methodic School which was about the stretching and narrowing of pores, with those of humoral pathology and the principals of Pneumatic School.

Keywords

• Asclepiades of Bithynia
• Soranus of Ephesus
• Caelius Aurelianus
• Atomic Theory