Dioscorides of Anazarbus was a Greek physician and botanist from the first century whose encyclopedia had a lasting influence for many generations after his passing. He was born in southeast Asia Minor, within the Roman Empire, in the early first century C.E. Throughout his life, Dioscorides traveled widely in search of medicinal substances across the Roman and Greek territories. He greatly benefited from the ease of travel across the vast regions controlled by the Roman Empire at its peak.Between approximately 50 and 70 C.E., Dioscorides authored his seminal work, known in Latin as "De materia medica." This five-volume study concentrated on "the preparation, properties, and testing of drugs," and it remained the most important pharmacological reference in Europe and the Middle East for the following sixteen centuries.Like many Greek medical texts, "De materia medica" was regarded as authoritative for many years. However, by the mid-16th century, his emphasis on the importance of investigation and experimentation began to surface, paving the way for modern research into medicines.
