title: [Conception and embryonic development between poetry and medical science: Dracontius].
abstract: The article examines on the ancient theme of conception and development of embryo such as presented in the narration of Christus' conception in the De laudibus dei by Dracontius. Dracontius' description is not the only one in ancient Christian poetry, but it is surely the most ancient and the richest in medical details.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Macerata, Italy. inmazzin@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Innocenzo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mazzini
mesh_terms: D002835:Christianity; D004626:Embryology / Q000266:history*; D005306:Fertilization; D049691:History, Medieval; D008513:Medicine in Literature; D011037:Poetry as Topic / Q000266:history*