Epigrams in the picture: World Veterinary Day

Posted on 25/04/2020

Happy World Veterinary Day!

Veterinary medicine dates back far into history. Due to the economic and military value of horses, especially equine medicine was highly appreciated and developed during the Byzantine period. 🐎

In the 5th or 6th century AD, a reference work collecting excerpts from seven different Greek treatises, devoted to the care and healing of horses, was compiled by an unknown editor. This compilation, known as the ‘Hippiatrica’, is preserved in twenty-two manuscripts from the 10th to the 16th century. It is a valuable source of information, describing symptoms and diseases that are still very recognisable today, such as lameness, cough, neck strains and glanders.

Several hippiatric manuscripts are richly illuminated with miniatures depicting the treatment of sick horses and illustrating specific parts of the text. In two manuscripts, Leiden Voss. Gr. Q 50 and Paris gr. 2244, some of these images are captioned with a verse. Have a look at them in DBBE!

🌐 https://www.dbbe.ugent.be/manuscripts/16792, https://www.dbbe.ugent.be/manuscripts/16793
📸 A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften. Wien: 688-694

 

Par. gr. 2244 (f. 49r)
Par. gr. 2244 (f. 54r)
Voss. gr. Q° 50 (f. 101r)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voss. gr. Q° 50 (f. 114r)
Voss. gr. Q° 50 (f. 134r)