Leaf from De Materia Medica
by Dioscorides Pedanius, Book V, chapters 9-22
Vellum leaf, major part of a folio.
Western France, Loire Region (?), c. 780-800
c. 260 x 175 mm
140'000,- CHF (VAT not included)
Eight large initials in dark brown and orange-red. In modern frame. Good condition.
This 8th century leaf is a previously unpublished fragment from the earliest manuscript witness to the Latin Dioscorides.
It is especially appealing for its content, as it preserves Dioscorides’ vivid descriptions of ancient wines: their tastes, origins and medicinal properties, and offers a rare glimpse into the culture, diet and therapeutic practices of Late Antiquity. To our knowledge, this is among the earliest manuscript material relating to ancient wine culture to have appeared on the market in recent decades.
The text of our leaf gives detailed classifications of wines and their medicinal properties. Wine held a central place in ancient Mediterranean culture, not only as a daily beverage but also as a substance with defined nutritional and medicinal properties.
Greek and Roman authors distinguished wines according to region, age, colour, and method of preparation, and physicians routinely evaluated their effects on digestion, temperament, and humoral balance. Elite Roman society prized prestigious Greek imports partly because medical authorities described them as lighter, more digestible, or more suitable for specific ailments. Correspondingly, Dioscorides is precise here in his deliberations, linking the effect of wine on its age (discussing a full range of wines, from old to young), colour (from white to black), and taste (from dry to sweet).
Here, the author highlights the characteristics of each wine regarding its place of origin.