Portrait of Galen

Galen

2nd-century Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher

Lived
129–300

Updated September 2026

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About Galen

Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus, often anglicized as Galen or Galen of Pergamon, was a Roman and Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher. Considered to be one of the most accomplished of all medical researchers of antiquity, Galen influenced the development of various scientific disciplines, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and neurology, as well as philosophy and logic.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.