Aelius Nicon

Who is Aelius Nicon?

Aelius Nicon was a Greek architect and builder in 2nd century CE Pergamon. Nicon is known only as the father of the ancient anatomist and philosopher, Galen.

Nicon was a mathematician, architect, astronomer, philosopher, and devotee of Greek literature. Nicon closely supervised Galen's education and tutored him at home, intending his son to study philosophy or politics. However according to Galen, Nicon was visited in a dream by Asclepius, Greek god of healing, who told to him to allow his son to study medicine. Galen soon began his studies at the major sanctuary of Asclepius located in Pergamon.

In his book, On the Passions and Errors of the Soul, Galen says that his "father’s training lay chiefly in the sciences of geometry, arithmetic, architecture, and astronomy. He also describes his temperament: