"At the apogee of ancient medical advances stood Galen (AD 129-c. AD 210), once the personal physician to the emperor Marcus Aurelius. A prolific writer, among his surviving works is what he believed to be the definitive guide to a healthy diet, based on the theory of the four humours. In these treatises Galen sets out this theory, which was to be profoundly influential on medicine for many centuries, and describes in fascinating detail the effects on health of a vast range of foods, from lettuce, lard and fish to peaches, pickles and hyacinths." "Galen on Food and Diet makes all these texts available in English for the first time, and provides many captivating insights into the ancient understanding of food and health. With clear translations, supported by a lucid introduction, notes, and an extensive bibliography, this volume is an invaluable resource for classicists, ancient historians and all those interested in the history of food."--BOOK JACKET.