Soranus of Ephesus
Soranus of Ephesus was a prominent Greek physician active during the ancient period, known for his contributions to medicine while practicing in Rome after receiving training in Ephesus and Alexandria. He authored approximately twenty books on various medical subjects, including hygiene, drugs, and medical terminology, although most of his works have been lost over time. The most notable surviving text is his comprehensive work on gynecology, which remains a significant reference in the study of ancient medicine. Soranus was a key figure in the methodist school of medicine, which emphasized practical experience over anatomical knowledge, yet he innovatively integrated various medical theories into his practice. His writings were influential not only in antiquity but also during the Middle Ages, significantly impacting medical thought. His discussions, particularly on topics like contraception, laid the groundwork for future scientific inquiry, notably inspiring advancements in chemical birth control in the mid-twentieth century. Soranus's legacy endures through his contributions to the understanding of ancient medical practices and debates, providing valuable insights into the history of medicine.
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Soranus of Ephesus
Related civilizations: Roman Greece, Imperial Rome
Major role/position: Physician
Life
Soranus of Ephesus (sawr-AY-nuhs of EH-feh-suhs) was trained as a doctor in Ephesus and in Alexandria and practiced ancient medicine in Rome. Nothing more is known with certainty of his life.
Soranus’s approximately twenty books were renowned for clarity and scholarly detail. They included treatises on medical subjects such as hygiene, drugs, and terminology and a series of biographies of famous doctors. Everything is lost except for one complete book, Gynaecology (n.d.; Soranus’s Gynaecology, 1956), and two chapters, covering broken bones and bandaging, from a work known as “On the Art of Surgery” (no English translation).
Influence
Soranus was the most influential teacher and theorist of the methodist school of medicine, which generally scorned anatomy and physiology. However, he merged these and other ideas into methodism with genius, emphasizing the importance of both theory and experience. His writings were quite influential in antiquity and the Middle Ages, eclipsed only by the works of the physician Galen. By preserving opinions and quotations from previous physicians in his works, Soranus has given modern scholars an excellent view of ancient medical debates and knowledge, and his discussion of contraception inspired scientific research in the mid-twentieth century on chemical birth control.
Bibliography
Drabkin, I. “Soranus and His System of Medicine.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 25 (1951).
Lloyd, G. E. R. Science, Folklore, and Ideology. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1999.
Riddle, J. Contraception and Abortion, from the Ancient World to the Renaissance. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1992.
Temkin, O. Soranus’ “Gynaecology.” Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1956.