Criton ofHeraclea (Greek:Κρίτων,Latin:Titus Statilius Crito) was a 2nd-century (c. 100 AD)Greek chief physician andprocurator of Roman EmperorTrajan (98–117) in the campaign inDacia.[1] He is perhaps the Criton mentioned inMartial'sEpigrams.[2]
He wrote a work onCosmetics in four books, which were very popular inGalen's time and which contained almost all that had been written on the same subject byHeraclides of Tarentum,Cleopatra, and others. The contents of each chapter of the four books have been preserved by Galen, who frequently quotes from it. Criton wrote also a work onSimple Medicines of which the fourth book is quoted by Galen;[3] he is also quoted byAëtius andPaul of Aegina, and may perhaps be the person to whom one of the letters ofApollonius of Tyana is addressed.[4]
Criton also has a historical work,Getica,[5] now lost[6] about the history ofDaco-Getae.Getica was at the basis of Trajan's own work,Dacica (orDe bello dacico), about hisDacian Wars, which is also lost. He is perhaps the author of a work onCookery, mentioned byAthenaeus.[7] None of his works seem to be extant, except a few fragments preserved by other authors.
As Trajan's medic, Criton created a mixture consumed daily by the emperor.[8]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Criton (Κρίτων)".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. p. 895.| International | |
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