Hippocrates
Born 460 · Age 1565
Ancient Greek physician (c.460–c.370 BCE), traditionally called the 'Father of Medicine'; associated with the Hippocratic Corpus and the Hippocratic Oath; pioneered clinical observation, prognosis, humoral theory, and many early surgical and hygienic practices.
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Life & Career Timeline
First scholarly edition and additions to the Corpus (incl. Hippocratic Oath) by c. early 2nd century CE
Scholarly edition around the beginning of the 2nd century CE included additional works such as the Hippocratic Oath and ethical treatises (posthumous additions/attributions).
Soranus of Ephesus writes a life of Hippocrates (2nd-century biography)
Soranus (2nd century CE) was the first biographer of Hippocrates; much personal information about Hippocrates in later sources derives from him.
Galen popularizes and attributes Hippocratic teachings in Roman-era medicine
Galen (2nd century CE) incorporated Hippocratic writings into his system and reverently attributed much medical knowledge to Hippocrates, shaping medical tradition for centuries.
Hippocratic works collected and associated with his name in Hellenistic Alexandria
In the Hellenistic period the Library/Museum of Alexandria collected medical writings from the Classical period and grouped them under the name 'Hippocrates' (Corpus Hippocraticum).
Aristotle references Hippocrates as 'the Great Physician'
Aristotle (Politics) mentions Hippocrates and calls him 'the Great Physician' (a later-cited praise; Hippocrates himself lived earlier).
Mentioned by Plato in Phaedrus (on medical/philosophical approach)
Plato's Phaedrus refers to 'Hippocrates the Asclepiad' as having a philosophical approach to medicine (traditional textual reference). Note: dates of Platonic dialogues are later references.
Death in Larissa, Thessaly (traditional date c. 370 BCE)
Several accounts give different ages (83, 85, 90); many sources assert Hippocrates died c. 375–370 BCE, likely in Larissa.
Mentioned by Plato in Protagoras (reference to his renown)
Plato (Protagoras) referred to Hippocrates as 'the Asclepiad of Cos' and compared his fame to leading sculptors—contemporary recognition.
Established medicine as a profession distinct from theurgy and philosophy
Through practice and teaching the Coan/Hippocratic school helped establish medicine as an empirical discipline and a professional practice.
Authored/compiled clinical works later included in the Hippocratic Corpus (case histories, Epidemics)
Works attributed to Hippocrates (or his school) such as the Epidemics recorded annual weather and disease records and individual case histories—foundational clinical literature.
Described practical surgical and orthopedic techniques (Hippocratic bench etc.)
Hippocratic school provided instructions for setting fractures, using traction devices (Hippocratic bench), splinting techniques and surgical instruments.
Early antiseptic and wound-care practices advocated
Advocated cleanliness in wound care: use of boiled water, clean wine, salves, and preference for 'dry' treatment—early antiseptic principles.
First description of clubbing of the fingers ('Hippocratic fingers')
Hippocratic writers contain the earliest known description of clubbing of the fingers, an important diagnostic sign in chronic lung and heart disease.
Early chest surgery and treatment of thoracic empyema
Hippocratic teachings include descriptions of thoracic empyema, drainage techniques and chest surgery approaches attributed to Hippocratic practitioners.
Descriptions of proctology and early endoscopic ideas (rectal speculum)
The Corpus contains methods for hemorrhoid treatment, cautery, ligation, and references to a rectal speculum—earliest references to endoscopic practice.
Argued disease had natural causes (On the Sacred Disease: epilepsy)
Hippocratic treatises rejected divine causation of epilepsy and other diseases, arguing for natural/environmental causes and clinical study.
Introduced the concept of 'crisis' in disease progression
Hippocratic medicine described crises—critical days when an illness would turn toward recovery or death—and the notion of relapse and convalescence.
Formulation and teaching of humoral theory (Coan school)
Hippocratic/Coan writers articulated a body-humour model (blood, phlegm, yellow and black bile) linking balance of humours to health; attributed (perhaps collectively) to Hippocratic tradition.
Practiced and taught widely across Greece and Asia Minor
Throughout his life he apparently traveled and practiced in Thessaly, Thrace, and the Sea of Marmara and taught pupils at the medical school at Cos frequently.
Development and use of clinical observation and prognosis
Hippocratic approach emphasized careful clinical observation, recording symptoms, case histories, and prognosis rather than supernatural explanations.
Recognized as an Asclepiad and began teaching
Plato refers to him as 'the Asclepiad of Cos' and notes he taught students for fees; Hippocrates became known as a teacher of medicine at Cos.
Studied with notable contemporary teachers
Sources state he took lessons from Democritus, Gorgias and the Thracian physician Herodicus of Selymbria (traditional/near-contemporary claims).
Medical training under father and grandfather at Kos (asklepieion)
Traditional accounts say Hippocrates learned medicine from his father and grandfather and was probably trained at the asklepieion of Kos.
Birth on the island of Kos
Hippocrates was born c. 460 BCE on the Aegean island of Kos (traditional date).
Born to Heraclides and Praxitela (family of physicians)
Traditional sources (Soranus, later authors) record his father Heraclides and mother Praxitela; belonged to an Asclepiad medical family.
Hippocratic medicine adopted and developed in the Islamic world (medieval transmission)
During the Middle Ages, Islamic physicians adopted Hippocratic methods and texts, translating and building upon them (broad movement 8th–13th centuries CE).
First printed Greek edition of the Aphorisms (Rabelais, 1532)
Francois Rabelais edited/translated the Aphorisms; the 1532 Greek edition is the first Greek text of the Aphorisms and marks Renaissance interest in Hippocratic texts.
Rabelais' Latin translation of the Aphorisms published (1543)
Rabelais' Latin translation (1543) of Aphorisms made Hippocratic clinical aphorisms widely available in Renaissance Europe.
Francis Adams publishes 'The Genuine Works of Hippocrates' (English translation, 1849)
Francis Adams produced the first major English collection/translation attempting to identify works likely authored by Hippocrates.
Loeb Classical Library publishes first volumes of Hippocratic texts (beginning 1923)
The Loeb Classical Library edition began publishing translated volumes of Hippocratic works (multi-volume series issued 1923–1995).
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Strasbourg), modern scholarly conference
A modern series of international scholarly colloquia on the Hippocratic collection began, e.g., Strasbourg 1972 (collection of papers and renewed academic focus).
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Mons) proceedings
Proceedings of subsequent Hippocratic colloquia (Mons 1975) continued systematic scholarly study of the Hippocratic corpus (series of international meetings).
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Paris) proceedings
Paris 1978 and later colloquia gathered international scholars to study the Hippocratic writings and their contexts.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Lausanne) proceedings
Lausanne 1981 contributed to the multi-decade series of scholarly colloquia on Hippocratic texts and history.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Berlin) proceedings
Berlin 1984 (published proceedings) continued international academic engagement with Hippocratic medicine and its reception.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Quebec) proceedings
Quebec 1987 colloquium added to the continuing scholarly series addressing the Hippocratic Collection.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Madrid) proceedings
Madrid 1990 colloquium and subsequent published proceedings furthered modern scholarship on Hippocratic works.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Kloster Banz / Staffelstein)
1993 colloquium held at Kloster Banz continued international academic discourse on Hippocratic medicine and its philosophical contexts.
Project Hippocrates (computer-assisted surgery / CMU) initiated
Project Hippocrates (High Performance Computing for Robot-Assisted Surgery) at Carnegie Mellon and Shadyside Medical Center began to apply the name to modern surgical-computing research.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Pisa) proceedings
Pisa 1996 colloquium (published as proceedings) part of the long-running international series on Hippocratic texts and their influence.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Nice) proceedings
Nice 1999 colloquium and proceedings contributed additional studies of Hippocratic medicine and normal/pathological distinctions in the Corpus.
International Hippocrates Colloquium (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Newcastle 2002 (published as 'Hippocrates in context') furthered interdisciplinary research on Hippocratic writings.
Modern revision and revival of Hippocratic clinical methods noted
Late 19th–20th century clinicians (e.g., Sydenham, Heberden, Charcot, Osler) revived Hippocratic clinical techniques; modern scholarship acknowledges Hippocratic influence.
Medieval manuscript with Hippocratic recipe found at St Catherine's Monastery
During restoration of Saint Catherine's Monastery a manuscript containing a Hippocratic medical recipe and herb illustrations was reported (Dec 2017 media reports).
Cureus review: 'Hippocrates of Kos (460-377 BC): The Founder and Pioneer of Clinical Medicine' published
Peer-reviewed open-access review article (Kostakopoulos et al.) published Oct 1, 2024, summarizing Hippocrates' contributions to clinical medicine and specialties.
Britannica updated/reviewed entry on Hippocrates (updated Aug 2, 2025)
Encyclopaedia Britannica entry summarizing Hippocrates' life, works, and legacy (entry metadata lists update Aug 2, 2025).
Key Achievement Ages
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