Rufus of Ephesus was a renowned Greek physician who wrote numerous medical treatises in such areas as pathology and dietetics. Known primarily for his work in describing anatomy, Rufus's writings on anatomical nomenclature were of major importance to the advancement of medicine. Although not as well known in the annals of medicine as his predecessor Hippocrates (ca. 460-377 B.C.) or Galen (ca. 130-200 A.D.), who followed him, Rufus made important contributions to early medical knowledge and is rightly acclaimed as one of the great physicians of the ancient Greek era.

Little is known about Rufus's life. Although often depicted as living during the reign of Trajan (98-117 A.D.), he may well have lived during the earlier reigns of Nero (37-68 A.D.) and Vespasian (9-79 A.D.). Rufus was a common Roman name that meant "red-blond" in Latin and probably referred to his hair color...