Physiognomy Glossary

Four Humors

The four humors are the foundational concept of ancient Greek medicine, developed by Hippocrates (c. 460-370 BC) and elaborated by Galen (129-216 AD).

The four humors are the foundational concept of ancient Greek medicine, developed by Hippocrates (c. 460-370 BC) and elaborated by Galen (129-216 AD). The theory held that the human body was governed by four fluids or humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. The balance and dominance of these fluids determined both physical health and psychological character.

The Four Humors

Blood (sanguis) — associated with warmth, moisture, Spring, and the Sanguine temperament: social, optimistic, expressive.

Yellow bile (cholé) — associated with heat, dryness, Summer, and the Choleric temperament: driven, ambitious, intense.

Black bile (melan cholé) — associated with coldness, dryness, Autumn, and the Melancholic temperament: thoughtful, sensitive, perfectionist.

Phlegm — associated with coldness, moisture, Winter, and the Phlegmatic temperament: calm, steady, patient.

Legacy in Modern Psychology

The four humors framework shaped Western medicine for nearly 2,000 years. It was the organizing principle of medical treatment from ancient Greece through the Renaissance. Although it was displaced by modern biology in the 19th century, its psychological insights — codified in the four temperaments — have proven more durable than its medical claims. Contemporary personality psychology systems including the DISC model and some interpretations of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator show clear structural parallels to the four-humor framework.

Related Terms

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four humors?

The four humors are blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile — four bodily fluids described by Hippocrates as governing both physical health and personality. They correspond to the four temperaments: Sanguine (blood), Phlegmatic (phlegm), Choleric (yellow bile), and Melancholic (black bile).

Who developed the four humors theory?

Hippocrates (c. 460-370 BC) is credited with systematizing the four humors theory. It was elaborated and codified by Galen (129-216 AD), whose version of the theory dominated Western medicine for nearly 1,500 years.

Do the four humors have any validity today?

As medical theory, the four humors have been superseded by modern biology. As personality psychology, the four temperaments derived from them — Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, Phlegmatic — continue to be used in various applied contexts and show structural parallels to contemporary personality models.

References

Hippocrates, On the Nature of Man, 5th century BC.
Galen, On Temperaments, 2nd century AD.

Marcus Cyrus
Founder of Attainment. Drawing on primary sources from the classical physiognomy tradition (Aristotle, Lavater, della Porta) and contemporary face perception research (Todorov, Zebrowitz).

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