ABSTRACT
Introduction: the classification of mental diseases Some time during the 5th-6th century ce, Caelius Aurelianus, an African of Sicca in Numidia who was a Roman physician and writer, set out to offer the public of his time both a translation from Greek to Latin and an adaptation of his famous predecessor’s great treaty. In fact, Soranus of Ephesus (2nd century ce), who was not the father but certainly the master of the methodic school of medicine, wrote on gynaecological and paediatric medicine, and composed Acute Diseases (Celeres or Acutae Passiones) and Chronic Diseases (Tardae or Chronicae Passiones). The translation of Soranus’ treatises is the more valuable for us since the original Greek version is lost.
