description Vienna Dioscurides Overview
The Vienna Dioscurides is an early sixth-century Byzantine illuminated manuscript containing Dioscorides' De materia medica and related medical and natural-history texts. Made in Constantinople for Juliana Anicia, it includes numerous plant illustrations as well as portraits, diagrams, and dedicatory images. Preserved in the Austrian National Library, it is also called the Juliana Anicia Codex and serves as an important source for the study of ancient pharmacology, botanical art, and Byzantine bookmaking.
insights Ranking position
Vienna Dioscurides ranks #13 of 243 in the Manuscript ranking, behind Cairo Geniza Manuscripts, ahead of De Materia Medica (Juliana Anicia Codex).
help Vienna Dioscurides FAQ
Is the Vienna Dioscurides the same manuscript as the Juliana Anicia Codex?
Yes. Vienna Dioscurides and Juliana Anicia Codex are two common names for the same early 6th-century Byzantine manuscript of De Materia Medica.
Who was Juliana Anicia, the manuscript's original owner?
Juliana Anicia was a Byzantine imperial princess and prominent patron in Constantinople. A dedicatory portrait in the codex identifies her and connects the lavish volume with her acts of patronage.
What plants and medicines appear in the Vienna Dioscurides?
The manuscript illustrates hundreds of plants described for medicinal use, alongside material concerning animals and other substances. Its text derives chiefly from the 1st-century pharmacological work of Pedanius Dioscorides.
Where is the Vienna Dioscurides kept today?
It is held by the Austrian National Library in Vienna under the shelf mark Codex Vindobonensis Medicus Graecus 1. Its fragile painted pages are preserved as a major work of Byzantine book art and scientific history.
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