TITULO VIGESIMOCUARTO

Throughout this work so far I have avoided referring to Galen¶s father by the name µNikon¶ even though it has led to some repetitiveness. The name has come from several inscriptions found in Pergamum dating to this time.25 _{Diller gives a neat}

summation of this archaeological evidence but finally concludes: µAllerdings muss der Identifikationsversuch notwendig unsicher bleiben.¶26

The connection is based on several inscriptions from Pergamum that are from the time of Hadrian and where the men mentioned are called architects. One of the inscriptions seems to be attributable to Ailios Nikon and, amongst other things, extols various geometrical solids. This attitude to geometry fits the interests that Galen attributes to his father and so the connection was made both to name him µNikon¶ and to adduce his profession as µarchitecture¶. However, Galen nowhere mentions either his father¶s name or his profession. He does say that: µMy father had himself received a particularly strong training in geometry, mathematics,

architecture and astronomy.27 He also says that his father became to him a geometer and architect and logician and arithmetician and astronomer and the highest example of justice and kindness and marvelous self-control.28 _{Given these descriptions,}

therefore, it might be just as appropriate to describe his father¶s occupation as a geometer, logician, arithmetician or astronomer. Other possible aspects of Galen¶s father¶s life are picked up in an Arabic source that states that: µHis father was a

25_{Inscriptiones graecae ad res romanas pertinentes 502. 503, 504, 505, 506.}

26 _{Diller (1936) µNikon¶ in Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, (1893-}

1963),Vol. XVII 1 (1936), 507.

27_{Aff.Dig. K5.42 tr. Singer (1997) 120.} 28_{Bon.Mal.Suc. K6.755.}

CHAPTER 6:GALEN¶S FAMILY AND SOCIAL POSITION

104 geometrician, but also a farmer. His grandfather was the head of the carpenters¶ guild and his great-grandfather a surveyor.¶29

Some parts of this biography are clearly assembled from Galen¶s own works, with varying degrees of accuracy. Other parts are more fanciful such as the story that he had written one book µin black silk on white brocade¶. This biography also gives Galen¶s physical description. Unfortunately this description follows very closely the physiognomy which is ascribed to a µman who loves scholarship¶ in a different Arabic source.30 _{Moreover, the hagiographical nature of the account suggests that}

information not supported in Galen¶s own works needs to be treated cautiously.31

6.3.2 Galen¶s knowledge of his father¶s interests 6.3.2.1 µArchitecture¶ ?

However, while it is not certain that Galen¶s father was an architect by profession, it is certain that he was interested and educated in µarchitecture¶. But what branch or sort of architecture was it? Vitruvius makes it clear in his work De architectura that the skills of an architect were many. They ranged from knowledge of the design, siting and construction of cities and buildings, an understanding of suitable spaces, of proportion and decoration, through to expertise concerning the theory and construction of sundials and mechanical engines of various types.

29 _{Rosenthal (1975) 34. This information is from a biography of Galen according to al-Mubashshir.} 30 _{Rosenthal (1975) 253.}

31 _{In this conclusion I differ significantly from Nutton (2004), n. 4, 389, who thinks that the Arabic}

6.3.2.2 Building design and construction

If we suppose that Galen¶s father was a designer and constructor of buildings or even a master-builder then we have to explain Galen¶s surprising lack of interest or reference to the µscience¶ or µtechnique¶ of building. His comments on this matter have a generality which in no way suggests any of the intimate knowledge of

structure which one would assume that an intelligent and attentive son might pick up from his daily association with his father. Galen only shows any knowledge of building construction in two places. The first is when he says that a house is constructed of stones, bricks, wood and tiles. However, this is in the context of a philosophical argument about the number and type of elements that constitute the physical world. He argues that all the components of a house have a certain size shape colour and texture which together make a house of a different size and shape.32 The second is his comment that architects or master-builders have two names for the arched ceiling of buildings. In this instance, he is drawing a parallel to doctors who use the same terms for the arched interior of the brain cavity in the skull.33 _{Neither of these examples requires any actual knowledge of building}

construction.

6.3.2.3 Master builder

On the other hand, he regularly uses the word µarchitect¶ to mean a master-builder or director of works. Thus in Thras., where he is making an analogy of the art that cares for the body, he says that a house-builder is served by masons, stone-cutters, brick-makers and carpenters. However, over them all is the architect who requires

32_{Hipp.Elim. K1.426-432.} 33_{UP K3.667.}

CHAPTER 6:GALEN¶S FAMILY AND SOCIAL POSITION

106 from the house-builder a construction of a particular kind.34 _{This image is used}

again in Hipp.Epid. where, on this occasion, the crafts at the disposal of the architect are likened to the techniques available to a doctor.35 Again all these images and parallels require nothing more than the simplest layman¶s knowledge of building. At other times he sometimes uses the image of an µarchitect¶ or the practice of µarchitecture¶ when he wishes to refer to an example of a respectable occupation that, like medicine, has aspects which are like a trade.36

6.3.2.4 Art and sculpture

There is also the problem of Galen¶s very limited knowledge of or apparent

appreciation of Greek art. For example, although Galen makes several references to the µCanon of Polycleitus¶ he is not admiring the art of the figure, but rather uses it as an exemplar for the perfect human body. He is particularly attentive to its

symmetry and remarks on the rarity of this kind of perfection occurring in real life.37

In contrast to this statement, he makes a comment in San.Tu. to the effect that because of Greece¶s temperate climate that many bodies similar to the canon can be seen there but never elsewhere.38 _{The only other sculptures that he mentions are}

Pheidias¶ statue of Demeter, his Athena and his statue of Zeus at Olympia. 39 The only vaguely artistic remark he makes is about the Zeus. He believes that it is admired mostly for its abundance of gold, and that if it were made of some common material it would be admired less. This opinion of course does not preclude the

34_{Thras. K5.890-1.} 35_{Hipp.Epid. K17b.229.}

36_{UP K3.667; Hipp.Epid. K17b.229;}

37_{UP K4.352.; Ars.Med K1.343; Temp. K1.566; PHP V.3.16; Opt.Corp.Const. K4.744 -5.}

Hankinson (1998) 196 suggests that Galen µconsidered himself a good judge of sculpture (Temp. I 566)¶, however the reference here does not support this suggestion, rather Galen, in support of his application of the theory of mixtures, is maintaining that artists seek, through long experience and learning, to find the median proportion of all the parts and thus produce beauty.

38_{San.Tu K6.126.}

possibility that he had actually seen the statue, but his comments can be equally attributable to common knowledge or belief. The other statues are used only used as an example of an artesian producing good work. Galen¶s only mention of Praxiteles is in association with Pheidias. They are mentioned in an extended comparison of the inability of the artist to transform anything but the shape of his material where as Nature can transform blood into bone, artery, vein, nerve, cartilage and so on. 40

Thus almost all of the interests and skills that we associate with the profession of architecture do not appear to apply to Galen¶s father.

6.3.2.5 Applied mathematics

However if by µarchitect¶ we suppose a person more interested in the application of applied mathematics particularly in the realm of sun-dials, water clocks and time keeping generally, then the evidence changes dramatically.

Galen himself says that this is what he often means:

I use the single term µarchitecture¶ to refer also to the design of sundials, various types of water-clock, and all kinds of mechanical devices, including also the µpneumatic¶ variety.41

As we have already seen in Chapter 5 Galen¶s own interest in and knowledge of time and time-measurement devices was considerable. This further confirms the probability that his father was well versed and interested in this particular branch of architecture. Perhaps we should call him an horologist as being more in keeping with his real interests.

40_{Nat.Fac. K2.82.6, 83.17.}

CHAPTER 6:GALEN¶S FAMILY AND SOCIAL POSITION

108

6.4 His family¶s wealth