Galen and his patients.

A prosopography of Galen's patients can contribute to our knowledge of the social and cultural history of Rome in the second century AD. In his voluminous works Galen now and then mentions the patients he actually treated, observed, or whom he saw treated by others. Sometimes he mentions their names, so that we can recognize them from other sources, in the corpus Galenicum or elsewhere. Even if they remain anonymous, or if their data are only partially known, often other relevant information is given e.g. concerning their age, sex, social status etc. This inventory permits some answers to questions concerning Galen's daily routine, his patients, his therapy and his bedside manners.