Heinrich von Staden headshot

Heinrich von Staden

Professor Emeritus
School of Historical Studies

Classics and History of Science

Affiliation

Historical Studies

Heinrich von Staden has written on a variety of topics in ancient science, medicine, philosophy, and literary theory, from the fifth century B.C. to the fifth century A.D. Drawing on a wide range of scientific, philosophical, and religious sources, he has contributed to the transformation of the history of ancient science and medicine, particularly of the Hellenistic period. His book Herophilus: The Art of Medicine in Early Alexandria (1989) is a major contribution to the history of Greek intellectual discourse. His current projects include a book on Erasistratus (one of the two early pioneers of human dissection), a study of the role of animals in ancient scientific theories and practices, and further work on the “semantics of matter” in ancient science.

Dates at IAS

Emeritus
School of Historical Studies
Faculty
School of Historical Studies

Degrees

Universität Tübingen
D.Phil.
1968
Yale University
B.A.
1961

Honors

Awards: American Association for History of Medicine, William H. Welch Medal 1993; American Philological Association, Charles Goodwin Award of Merit 1992
Honorary Degrees: Université Paris-Sorbonne, Honorary Doctorate 2011; Université de Lausanne, Honorary Doctorate of Letters 2010
Memberships: Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, Institut de France; Akademie der Wissenschaften, Göttingen; American Academy of Arts and Sciences; American Philosophical Society; British Academy; Finnish Academy of Science and Letters

Appointments

University of California, Berkeley
2009–2010
Sather Professor of Classical Literature
Yale University
1968–1998
William Lampson Professor of Classics and Comparative Literature 1996–98, Professor 1984–96, Faculty 1968–84