Sammonicus

Sammonicus refers to Quintus Serenus Sammonicus, a Latin physician of late antiquity, best known for a single work attributed to him. Very little is certain about his life, and precise dates are debated; most scholars place him in the late 2nd to early 3rd century CE. The historical record provides few details beyond his name appearing in medical literature, and biographical specifics remain speculative.

The main work associated with the name is the Liber medicinalis, a Latin pharmacological compendium that circulated in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. The text gathers recipes, remedies, and therapeutic prescriptions for a wide range of conditions, including fevers, digestive disorders, skin diseases, and poisons. It reflects a blend of clinical experience, Galenic theory, and traditional folk practice, and it sometimes incorporates magical or ritual elements alongside more conventional remedies.

Influence and reception: The Liber medicinalis influenced later medieval Latin medicine and was cited by medical writers who followed late antique pharmacology. Its authorship is traditional but not beyond dispute; some scholars view it as a compilation with multiple hands, or as an attribution to Sammonicus that may not reflect a single author. Modern scholarship remains cautious about dating and biographical claims, emphasizing the fragmentary and composite nature of the surviving material.