Kitāb al-Diryāq
Andromachus the Elder on horseback, questioning a patient who has received a snake bite. Kitâb al-Diryâq, 1198-1199, Syria. | |
| Author | Pseudo-Galen |
|---|---|
| Original title | كتاب الدرياق |
| Language | Arabic |
| Subject | Medicine, Antidotes |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Various (modern editions) |
Publication date | 12th, 13th centuries |
| Publication place | Jazira (Syria or Northern Iraq) |
| Media type | Manuscript, Print |
Kitāb al-Diryāq (Arabic: كتاب الدرياق, "The Book of Theriac"), also Book of Anditodes of Pseudo-Galen or in French Traité de la thériaque, is a medieval Arabic book supposedly based on the writings of Galen ("pseudo-Galen"). The work describes the use of Theriac, an ancient medicinal compound initially used as a cure for the bites of poisonous snakes.
Two illustrated manuscript copies are extant, adorned with beautiful miniatures revealing of the social context at the time of their publication. The books describe various physicians of Antiquity, including Greek ones such as Andromachus the Elder, and their medical techniques. These manuscripts are generally attributed to the Jazira region of Syria and northern Iraq.