Innovation in Byzantine medicine: the writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c.1275-c.1330) is a 2020 monograph by Greek author and academic Petros Bouras-Vallianatos. The book delves into the largely unexplored works of late Byzantine physician John Zacharias Aktouarios, known for his contributions to uroscopy, physiology, and pharmacology. It highlights Aktouarios' original theories, including the introduction of a new urine vial divided into eleven areas and his theory about the connection of each area with a certain part of the human body, and provides insight into the intellectual and social contexts of medical practice in the Byzantine era. Bouras-Vallianatos argues that Aktouarios' medical works were remarkably open to knowledge from outside Byzantium and displayed significant originality. The analysis of Aktouarios's treatises is based on a wide range of manuscripts and sources, shedding new light on Byzantine medical thought and its cultural exchanges with the Latin and Islamic worlds.[2][3][4][5]
Innovation in Byzantine medicine
Cover
Author
Petros Bouras-Vallianatos
Original title
Innovation in Byzantine medicine: the writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c.1275-c.1330)
This book offers a comprehensive examination of the medical writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios, a Late Byzantine physician. By stressing the importance of John's treatises, in the history of medieval and early modern medicine, it overturns the derogatory view that Byzantine medicine was stagnant and unoriginal. John was born around 1275 and was a well-educated practising physician in Constantinople. He wrote three major works. In his long uroscopy treatise, On Urines, he identifies a large number of urinary features from colour to sediment in an attempt to diagnose and prognosticate the patient's clinical condition. What makes his work so interesting is that he often elaborates his narration with case histories involving real patients from his clinical experience. His longest work is the Medical Epitome, which was written for the contemporary Alexios Apokaukos. The pharmacological part, in particular, presents a unique amalgamation of earlier Greek and Byzantine sources with recently introduced Arabic pharmacological lore, an excellent example of medieval scientific knowledge transfer. What makes the work quite original is that John often introduced his own recipes as an outcome of his rich practical experience. In his work On Psychic Pneuma, which is dedicated to Joseph Rhakendytes, he argued that the purified state of the psychic pneuma (the first instrument of the soul), achieved through an appropriate regimen (e.g. diet, exercise, sleep, bathing), was essential to keeping ones bodily and spiritual health in good condition, thus offering a unique psychotherapeutic approach. The analysis is based on a wide range of previously unedited manuscripts, shedding new light on Byzantine medical thought and practice in light of contemporary medical developments in the wider Mediterranean (e.g. Latin, Islamic).[2][3][4][5]
Critical receptionedit
In her review, Orly Lewis[a] acclaimed Bouras-Vallianatos for offering an in-depth study of John's writings and medical ideas and emphasising John's innovative contributions and the recognition of Byzantine medicine as a dynamic field.[2]
Isabel Grimm-Stadelmann [b] said "Bouras-Vallianatos offers an excellent contribution to the understanding of Byzantine medical culture" commending the book for its in-depth analysis of Byzantine medicine.[3]
Koray Durak[c] appreciated how the book explores various aspects of Zacharias' work, such as uroscopy, clinical narratives, and pharmacology, and places him in the broader context of Byzantine and Mediterranean medical traditions. Durak praised Bouras-Vallianatos for being "as original, practical and accessible as the subject of his research".[4]
Maria Mavroudi[d] stressed the book's role in providing a comprehensive history of Byzantine medicine, especially during the Paleologan era when most Greek medical texts were written. Mavroudi acknowledged the book's contribution to dispelling the notion that Byzantine medicine was merely an uncreative imitation of ancient Greek medicine. She also emphasized that this book is one of the very few studies on premodern science that “combines good history with good philology”.[5]
^ ab"Academy prizes | International Academy of the History of Science". www.aihs-iahs.org. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
^ abcLewis, Orly (2022-06-01). "Petros Bouras-Vallianatos. Innovation in Byzantine Medicine: The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c. 1275–c. 1330) . (Oxford Studies in Byzantium.) 368 pp., illus. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. $115 (cloth); ISBN 9780198850687. E-book available". Isis. 113 (2): 432–433. doi:10.1086/719523. ISSN 0021-1753.
^ abcGrimm-Stadelmann, Isabel (November 2021). "P. BOURAS-VALLIANATOS Innovation in Byzantine Medicine: The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c.1275–c.1330). (Oxford Studies in Byzantium). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. 368, illus. ￡90. 9780198850687". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. 141: 304–305. doi:10.1017/S0075426921000732. ISSN 0075-4269.
^ abcDurak, Koray (July 2021). "Petros Bouras-Vallianatos, Innovation in Byzantine Medicine, The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c.1275–c.1330) (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), pp. xviii + 342, £90, hardback, ISBN: 9780198850687". Medical History. 65 (3): 306–307. doi:10.1017/mdh.2021.20. ISSN 0025-7273. PMC8663031.
^ abcMavroudi, Maria (2023-10-01). ": Innovation in Byzantine Medicine: The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios (c.1275–c.1330)". Speculum. 98 (4): 1217–1218. doi:10.1086/726769. ISSN 0038-7134.
innovation, byzantine, medicine, writings, john, zacharias, aktouarios, 1275, 1330, 2020, monograph, greek, author, academic, petros, bouras, vallianatos, book, delves, into, largely, unexplored, works, late, byzantine, physician, john, zacharias, aktouarios, . Innovation in Byzantine medicine the writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 is a 2020 monograph by Greek author and academic Petros Bouras Vallianatos The book delves into the largely unexplored works of late Byzantine physician John Zacharias Aktouarios known for his contributions to uroscopy physiology and pharmacology It highlights Aktouarios original theories including the introduction of a new urine vial divided into eleven areas and his theory about the connection of each area with a certain part of the human body and provides insight into the intellectual and social contexts of medical practice in the Byzantine era Bouras Vallianatos argues that Aktouarios medical works were remarkably open to knowledge from outside Byzantium and displayed significant originality The analysis of Aktouarios s treatises is based on a wide range of manuscripts and sources shedding new light on Byzantine medical thought and its cultural exchanges with the Latin and Islamic worlds 2 3 4 5 Innovation in Byzantine medicineCoverAuthorPetros Bouras VallianatosOriginal titleInnovation in Byzantine medicine the writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 CountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishSubjectHistory of medicine Byzantine historyGenreNon fictionPublisherOxford University PressPublication dateFebruary 5 2020Pages368AwardThe Prize for Young Historians by International Academy of the History of Science 2021 1 ISBN978 0198850687 Contents 1 Overview 2 Critical reception 3 Awards 4 Notes 5 ReferencesOverview editThis book offers a comprehensive examination of the medical writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios a Late Byzantine physician By stressing the importance of John s treatises in the history of medieval and early modern medicine it overturns the derogatory view that Byzantine medicine was stagnant and unoriginal John was born around 1275 and was a well educated practising physician in Constantinople He wrote three major works In his long uroscopy treatise On Urines he identifies a large number of urinary features from colour to sediment in an attempt to diagnose and prognosticate the patient s clinical condition What makes his work so interesting is that he often elaborates his narration with case histories involving real patients from his clinical experience His longest work is the Medical Epitome which was written for the contemporary Alexios Apokaukos The pharmacological part in particular presents a unique amalgamation of earlier Greek and Byzantine sources with recently introduced Arabic pharmacological lore an excellent example of medieval scientific knowledge transfer What makes the work quite original is that John often introduced his own recipes as an outcome of his rich practical experience In his work On Psychic Pneuma which is dedicated to Joseph Rhakendytes he argued that the purified state of the psychic pneuma the first instrument of the soul achieved through an appropriate regimen e g diet exercise sleep bathing was essential to keeping ones bodily and spiritual health in good condition thus offering a unique psychotherapeutic approach The analysis is based on a wide range of previously unedited manuscripts shedding new light on Byzantine medical thought and practice in light of contemporary medical developments in the wider Mediterranean e g Latin Islamic 2 3 4 5 Critical reception editIn her review Orly Lewis a acclaimed Bouras Vallianatos for offering an in depth study of John s writings and medical ideas and emphasising John s innovative contributions and the recognition of Byzantine medicine as a dynamic field 2 Isabel Grimm Stadelmann b said Bouras Vallianatos offers an excellent contribution to the understanding of Byzantine medical culture commending the book for its in depth analysis of Byzantine medicine 3 Koray Durak c appreciated how the book explores various aspects of Zacharias work such as uroscopy clinical narratives and pharmacology and places him in the broader context of Byzantine and Mediterranean medical traditions Durak praised Bouras Vallianatos for being as original practical and accessible as the subject of his research 4 Maria Mavroudi d stressed the book s role in providing a comprehensive history of Byzantine medicine especially during the Paleologan era when most Greek medical texts were written Mavroudi acknowledged the book s contribution to dispelling the notion that Byzantine medicine was merely an uncreative imitation of ancient Greek medicine She also emphasized that this book is one of the very few studies on premodern science that combines good history with good philology 5 Awards editBouras Vallianatos has been awarded for his book the 2021 Prize for Young Historians by the International Academy of the History of Science 1 Notes edit of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in Munich of the Bogazici University Istanbul of the University of California BerkeleyReferences edit a b Academy prizes International Academy of the History of Science www aihs iahs org Retrieved 2023 11 26 a b c Lewis Orly 2022 06 01 Petros Bouras Vallianatos Innovation in Byzantine Medicine The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 Oxford Studies in Byzantium 368 pp illus Oxford Oxford University Press 2020 115 cloth ISBN 9780198850687 E book available Isis 113 2 432 433 doi 10 1086 719523 ISSN 0021 1753 a b c Grimm Stadelmann Isabel November 2021 P BOURAS VALLIANATOS Innovation in Byzantine Medicine The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 Oxford Studies in Byzantium Oxford Oxford University Press 2020 Pp 368 illus 90 9780198850687 The Journal of Hellenic Studies 141 304 305 doi 10 1017 S0075426921000732 ISSN 0075 4269 a b c Durak Koray July 2021 Petros Bouras Vallianatos Innovation in Byzantine Medicine The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 Oxford Oxford University Press 2020 pp xviii 342 90 hardback ISBN 9780198850687 Medical History 65 3 306 307 doi 10 1017 mdh 2021 20 ISSN 0025 7273 PMC 8663031 a b c Mavroudi Maria 2023 10 01 Innovation in Byzantine Medicine The Writings of John Zacharias Aktouarios c 1275 c 1330 Speculum 98 4 1217 1218 doi 10 1086 726769 ISSN 0038 7134 Portals nbsp Literature nbsp Books nbsp History nbsp Byzantine Empire Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Innovation in Byzantine medicine amp oldid 1193637145, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
