Marcellus Empiricus

Marcellus Empiricus was a Roman writer at the turn of the 4th / 5th Century after Christ. He came from Gaul ( questionable whether from Burdigala ) and held high offices of state under Theodosius I and Arcadius.

Marcellus Empiricus wrote a layman specific recipe book ( De medicamentis ) in 36 chapters, which is full of superstitious means. The introduction is a letter from the Marcellus to his sons and several apocryphal letters, the final 78 hexameter. Sources were Scribonius Largus and Medicina Plinii, some of the folk medicine. Precious are the vulgar Latin plant names.