Person

Alcmaeon of Croton

fl. c. 500 BCE · 6th century BCE

Alcmaeon of Croton was a Greek physician and natural philosopher of around 500 BCE, associated with the Pythagoreans. He is said to have carried out early dissections, identified the brain as the seat of thought and perception, and explained health as a balance of opposing qualities in the body. Only fragments of his writings survive.

Alcmaeon of Croton
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Mentioned in 1 state history

Croton

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Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Alcmaeon of Croton. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/alcmaeon-of-croton
MLA
“Alcmaeon of Croton.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/alcmaeon-of-croton. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Alcmaeon of Croton.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/alcmaeon-of-croton.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Alcmaeon of Croton’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/alcmaeon-of-croton (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻