d. 994

Persian Physician

Ali ibn Abbas al-Majusi, known in Europe by his latinized name, Haly Abbas, was born in Ahvaz in the kingdom of Persia (now part of Iran). He was a highly influential physician during the tenth century. However, very little is known of his life other than the writings he left behind. He is most famous for authoring a work entitled al-Maliki, or The Royal Book, which remained the most important medical encyclopedia in the Arabic and European world for more than a century after its creation.

Al-Majusi apparently received his medical training from a private tutor. He also studied the works of ancient Greek physicians that had been translated into Arabic. He eventually went on to serve as court physician to King Adud ad-Dawlah (936-983) in the city of Baghdad (located in modern Iraq). In 981 this king founded the...