Food, Health and Illness: Development of Ancient and Byzantine Dietics
The
lecture attempts to show possible connections between the culinary art and the
medical science.The link developed naturally as a result of Hippocrates’ interest in
food, which was considered by the aforementioned ancient Greek doctor to be the
key factor in preserving health of living creatures. Since this medical
authority’s approach was widely accepted later on and reflected in the
teachings of the Hippocratic school and its followers, it had a considerable
impact on the development of medical
research and thereby promoted further discussion on food.The heyday of the ancient research in food occurred in the second part
of the II c. A.D. It was Galen, who established the final form of the humoral
theory, which was the core of his doctrine.
Galen’s concept even more closely linked the already traditional study
in food with the overall medical knowledge, and in this fashion enhancing the
interest in proper nutritional practices. Galen’s followers, in turn, tended not to modify his teachings but
repeated them continually, thereby promoting the theory in the post-Galenic
era, including the whole period of Byzantium (especially Oribasius, Aetius of
Amida and Paul of Aegina). As a result, medical
wittings present themselves as one of the most informative sources that can be
used by a food historian.
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