For more information on Alcmaeon, visit Britannica.com.
Greek philosopher and physician (fl.450bc)
Alcmaeon was born in Croton (now Crotone in Italy). Details of his work come from the surviving fragments of his book and through references by later authors, including Aristotle. He was probably influenced by the school of thought founded by Pythagoras in Croton and originated the notion that health was dependent on maintaining a balance between all the pairs of opposite qualities in the body, i.e. wet and dry, hot and cold, etc. Imbalance of these qualities resulted in illness. This theory was later developed by Hippocrates and his followers.
Alcmaeon performed dissections of animals and possibly of human cadavers also. He demonstrated various anatomical features of the eye and ear, including their connections with the brain, and correctly asserted that the brain was the control center of bodily functions and the seat of intelligence.
Alcmaeon or Alcmeon, in Greek myth, son of Amphiaraus. In accordance with his father's command he became leader of the expedition of the Epigonoi which took Thebes. On his return, in further execution of his father's commands, he avenged him by slaying his own mother Eriphylē (or, in some sources, the matricide came before the expedition). For this murder he was (like Orestes) pursued from place to place by the Furies. At Psophis in Arcadia he received partial purification from Phegeus, whose daughter Arsinoē, or Alphesiboea, he married. To her he gave the necklace of Harmonia (see CADMUS
Alcmaeon, Alkmaion, Alcmeon, or Alkmaon may refer to:
| This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)