Oribazus (also spelled Oribasius; Greek: Ὀριβάσιος; c. 320 – c. 400 CE) was a prominent Greek physician and medical writer who served as the personal physician to the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate.
Born in Pergamum, Oribazus was a student of Zeno of Cyprus and later traveled to Alexandria to continue his medical studies. He became a close friend and confidant of Julian, accompanying him on various campaigns, including Julian's ill-fated Persian expedition in 363 CE. After Julian's death, Oribazus briefly fell out of favor and was exiled, but he was eventually recalled and restored to his position and honors.
Oribazus is primarily known for his extensive medical works, which were comprehensive compilations of earlier Greek medical knowledge. His most important work is the Collectiones medicae (Medical Collections), a massive encyclopedia of medicine originally comprising seventy or seventy-two books. This monumental work systematically gathered and organized extracts from the writings of renowned physicians from Hippocrates and Galen to later authors. While not highly original in its content, its value lay in its preservation and synthesis of a vast amount of ancient medical lore that might otherwise have been lost. It covered various topics, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, surgery, and dietetics.
Other notable works by Oribazus include:
- Synopsis ad Eustathium: A shorter, more practical manual derived from the Collectiones medicae, intended for his son Eustathius.
- Euporista: A work focused on remedies that were easily accessible or prepared.
- De victus ratione: A treatise on dietetics, parts of which survive.
Oribazus's compilations served as a crucial bridge between classical Greek medicine and later Byzantine and Islamic medical traditions. His works were widely studied and translated, exerting considerable influence on subsequent generations of physicians and scholars throughout the medieval period.