Araeteus (1st century AD)

English Names

Aretaeus of Cappadocia

Date

First or second century AD

Biography

Aretaeus is an ancient Greek physician, who lived during the Roman empire, but it is unclear where and when, in the first or in the second century. Aretaeus does never refer to physicians of the Roman period, even though he is influenced by Pneumatic and Stoic doctrines of the first century. Moreover, Galen (129–216) or other physicians before him have no references to Aretaeus. Therefore, he was considered a contemporary of Galen or a little younger than him. The first quotation of Arataeus is contained only in Aetius (sixth century AD).

Main Achievements in Medicine/Pathology

Aretaeus gave a very accurate and realistic description of the symptoms of diseases such as diabetes, syncope, epilepsy, asthma, and tuberculosis.

Aretaeus had no success in late antiquity and also later, but when Galenism was declining, he attracted physicians such as Boerhaave and Laennec.

Works

Aretaeus wrote on diseases, surgery,...