Salmawaih ibn Bunan

{{short description|Physician and translator of Greek medical texts}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

Salmawaih ibn Bunan (died 840) was an Assyrian Nestorian Christian physician who translated works of Galen from Greek into Arabic.De Lacy O'Leary How Greek science passed to the Arabs [http://www.aina.org/books/hgsptta.htm "How Greek Science Passed to the Arabs" online] 2002- Page 166 "Hunayn had many other friends and clients, mostly physicians of Jundi-Shapur and those who had removed to Baghdad and used the Arabic language, like Salmawaih ibn Bunan an alumnus of Jundi-Shapur who became court physician to ..." He flourished at the time of the Abbasid caliphs al-Ma'mun ({{reign|813|833}}) and al-Mu'tasim ({{reign|833|842}}), serving as private physician to the latter.{{sfn|Sarton|1927|p=573}} It is reported that al-Mu'tasim trusted Salmawaih to such an extent that he called him "father", and that he prayed in person over Salmawaih's grave when he died.{{sfn|Bosworth|1991|p=207 (note 609)}}

He was a patron of the fellow Nestorian physician and translator Hunayn ibn Ishaq, helping him in his translation of Galen's On The Therapeutic Method.{{sfn|Sarton|1927|pp=573–574}} His scientific work included studies on the harmful effects of aphrodisiacs.{{sfn|Sarton|1927|p=574}} He was a rival of the fellow Nestorian physician Ibn Masawayh.{{sfn|Sarton|1927|p=574}}