A. Önnerfors, “Marcellus, De medicamentis. Latin de science, de superstition, d’humanité,” in
Le latin médical, ed. Sabbah (1991) 397–405; Önnerfors (1993) 319–330; Lexikon des Mittelalters 6 (1993)
221 – 222, K.-D. Fischer; W. Meid, Heilpflanzen und Heilsprüche: Zeugnisse gallischer Sprache bei Marcellus
von Bordeaux (1996); AML 591 – 592, K.-D. Fischer; BNP 8 (2006) 300–301 (#8), A. Touwaide.
Fabio StokMarcellus of Side ̄ (ca 140 – 160 CE)
Widely reputed and imperially recognized physician and poet who lived under Antoninus
Pius. He wrote an immense compilation of 40 books in hexameters, On Medical Matters
(Iatrika) or, more poetically (AP 7.158) Daughters of Chiron (Chironides). A preserved fragment of
On Werewolves (Peri lukanthropias; see Souda M-205), perhaps a part of the Iatrika, presents this
disease as a form of melancholia, gives clinical symptoms, and prescribes bloodletting, baths,
and an antidote used against viper bites (A A 6.11 = CMG 8.2, pp. 151–152,
citing R and A). Contemporary with G, with whom he was probably
personally in contact, Marcellus is mentioned by major later physicians, including Aëtios
and P A who borrowed medical treatments from him. He supplied numer-
ous medico-magical recipes similar to those given by K. He also wrote a poem On
Fishes, preserved in a lengthy fragment (101 verses) which offers in Homeric diction a long
catalogue of 91 so-called fishes (ikhthus) including shellfish and dolphins.
RE 14.2 (1930) 1496–1498 (#56), W. Kroll; M. Wellmann, Marcellus von Side als Arzt (1934); OCD3 922,
A.J.S. Spawforth.
Arnaud Zucker
Marcianus (of Africa?) (10 BCE – 15 CE)
Prepared an antidote for A, which S L (177) also used, contain-
ing over 40 ingredients, including such imports as “Ethiopian” cumin, African silphium
and ammo ̄niakon incense, and Indian cinnamon, kostos, Celtic and Indian nards,
and pepper, plus fresh duck blood. O, Ecl. Med. 74.9 (CMG 6.2.2, p. 243) gives
Marcianus’ akopon, employing African euphorbia (cf. I) and Indian galbanum,
cardamom, and pepper. A A cites probably the same man six times for
relatively simple recipes, once calling him African (11.11, p. 608 Cornarius: recipe for
kidney and bladder stones): a collyrium including rue, fennel, and coriander (7.110, CMG
8.2, p. 387), an emetic for sunankhe ̄ with aphronitron and bull gall, etc. (8.50, p. 485),
two compresses for intestinal disturbances, both involving rue and fenugreek (9.27, Zervos
1911: 331), and a potion for those who cannot keep food or water down, based on the bark
of the Libyan lo ̄tos tree (9.42, p. 389 Zervos = 9.48, pp. 550–551 Cornarius, with further
recipes; on the tree, cf. T, HP 4.3.1–2); cf. 12 ( p. 28 Kostomiris). The preva-
lence of African ingredients (ammo ̄niakon, cumin, euphorbia, silphium, and lo ̄tos)
accords with an African origin. Marcianus seems an imperial-era name (often corrupted to
martianus in Latin minuscules).
Fabricius (1726) 320, 322.
PTK
Marcianus of He ̄rakleia Pontike ̄ (ca 300 – 430 CE)
Geographer who tells us he wrote an epitome ̄ of A E’ Geographia
(GGM 1.574–576), and of M P’s Periplous te ̄s entos thalasse ̄s (the
MARCELLUS OF SIDE ̄