Galen of Pergamum is principally famous for his works on anatomy, medicine and moral philosophy. He is also noted for his acerbic temperament, his affirmations of his own brilliance and his denigration of the education, morals and lifestyle of his medical opponents and of anyone who viewed differently the things that he held dear. On his arrival in Rome he used a variety of techniques reminiscent of those used by the sophists in order to establish his place amongst the social and intellectual elite both as a physician and as a philosopher. At this and later points in his career his rhetoric emphasised the quality of his Greek education which included a thorough grounding in mathematics. He also appealed to his philosophic lifestyle and to his social connections in Rome in order to differentiate himself from the general run of doctors and to promote his own agenda. In this dissertation I examine his writings with the object of testing the validity of Galens claims in these areas and, in the process, to come to a deeper understanding the social and intellectual environments that formed him and with which he interacted. Special attention is given to his literary and rhetorical education and his knowledge of the exact sciences. One consequence of studying his training in rhetoric was the reconstruction of a rhetorical template which, though of a kind possibly mentioned in passing by Quintilian, is not to be found in any of the extant manuals on rhetoric. In the matter of the exact sciences particular consideration is given to his knowledge of geometry and the construction of sundials, as his views on these subjects form the foundation to his approach to philosophical and medical knowledge. Thus a substantial section is devoted to the manner in which Galen could have gained his certainty in these matters.
¶
Galen's rhetoric also makes much of his family's social status and his personal
relationship to the royal court. These matters are examined in relationship to our
present knowledge of Greek society and the familia Caesaris at the time. A
consequence of this latter enquiry was some insights into the work habits of
Marcus Aurelius.
¶
Galen not only wished to be known as Rome's leading physician and anatomist
but also as one who practised the philosophic lifestyle. The background to
Galen's decision in this last matter is assessed together with an examination of
passages that while suggesting that much of his language and sentiment was a
reflection of Platonic values also show that his commitment to a life of asceticism
was real.
¶
What also emerges in this study is that there was considerable tension between
the world in which he wished to live and the world as it was. This shows
especially in his aggressive rejection of the salutatio and other Roman social
conventions, his frustration at the early reception of his medical theories and
teaching, and his desire to sustain the educated koine Greek of his homeland
against the social pressures which were attempting to restrict educated Greek to
the dialect and vocabulary of ancient Attica.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/241741 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Elliott, Christopher Jon, elliottchrisj@gmail.com |
| Publisher | The Australian National University. School of Social Sciences, Department of History |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.anu.edu.au/legal/copyrit.html), Copyright Christopher Jon Elliott |
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