Hippocrates of Kos (; ;
Hippokrátes; 460 – 370 BC), also known as
Hippocrates II, was a
Greek physician of the
Age of Pericles (
Classical Greece), and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the
history of medicine. He is referred to as the "Father of Western Medicine" in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field as the founder of the Hippocratic School of Medicine. This intellectual school revolutionized
medicine in ancient Greece, establishing it as a discipline distinct from other fields with which it had traditionally been associated (
theurgy and
philosophy), thus establishing medicine as a profession.