Medical Doctor

Domesticos, nicknamed the Venerable, was a Maltese doctor who sacrificed his time and health for the sick. He was buried on the site of St Joseph Oratory near the Franciscan Friars’ Minor church, Rabat. His gravestone with a Greek inscription was found in 1690 and donated to the monks by Fra Ignatio Riccio, chaplain of the Order of St John.

Charles Savona Ventura, in his publication about ancient and medieval medicine in Malta (before 1600 AD), gave us this account: ‘The Byzantine Maltese archaeological record fails to furnish any specific items pertaining to medical history. A Greek inscription discovered in the mid-18^th century during works at St Joseph Oratory, Rabat Malta records the burial of a medical practitioner.

This is the transcribed text of 6^th century at Domesticus tombstone Rabat, Malta:

Ενθά [δ] ε Κίτε Δομε

Στικος ο εέμέ[υ]ής

Χριστιανος κ [έ] ίητρός

Έςησεν έτη ον

ανεΠαύσατο τή [Πρό] ιή

καλ[αν] δ [ων] Φεβρ [ναρίων]

This text translates as follows: ‘‘Here lies Domesticus the kindly Christian and doctor. He lived for 73 years and died on 15 (?25) January…?.. in the consulship of…’’

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.