When and where was Hippocrates born?
Hippocrates was born around the year 460 BC on the Greek island of Kos. The exact date remains obscured by centuries of legend and conflation surrounding his life.
Common questions about Hippocrates
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the death date of Hippocrates and where did he die?
Hippocrates died at the age of 83, 85, or perhaps 90 in Larissa. The specific year of his death is not recorded in the script text.
Did Hippocrates write the Hippocratic Oath?
Hippocrates likely never wrote the famous oath that bears his name. New information shows the document may have been written after his death, though it was attributed to him in antiquity.
What medical conditions did Hippocrates describe for the first time?
Hippocrates was the first to describe clubbing of the fingers, lung cancer, cyanotic heart disease, and the Hippocratic face. He also categorized illnesses as acute, chronic, endemic, and epidemic using specific medical terminology.
Who was the first biographer to separate fact from fiction about Hippocrates?
Soranus of Ephesus was the first biographer to attempt to separate fact from fiction about Hippocrates. He was a 2nd-century Greek physician whose accounts form the basis of most personal information we possess today.
What is the Hippocratic Museum and where is it located?
The Hippocratic Museum is located on the Greek island of Kos. It serves as a legacy site that continues the memory of Hippocrates alongside the Hippocrates Project of the New York University Medical Center and the Canadian and American Hippocratic Registries.