Greek God Asclepius And Ancient Healing Center ‘Asclepion Of Pergamum’

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com -  Named after the healing god Asclepius, the Asclepion of Pergamum is a sacred site that existed as early as the 4th century BC. Asclepius was Apollo's son, a nymph of Coronis, a Thessalian princess, and a lover of Apollo.

Asclepius with his serpent-entwined staff. Image credit: Michael F. Mehnert - CC BY-SA 3.0

When Asclepius's mother died at birth,  Apollo wanted to provide his son with a good life. He gave his son the gift of healing people.

In Greek mythology, Asclepius learned the art of healing from both his father, Apollo, and the centaur Cheiron. He became skilled in surgery and was revered as the founder of medicine. However, he symbolizes the healing aspect of the medical arts. He learned everything he needed from the centaur Chiron, the "wisest and justest of all the centaurs."

Interestingly, not all consider Asclepius a divine figure, and according to some sources, Asclepius was a real historical figure, later deified. One day, he was invited to the island of Crete by King Minos, whose son had just died. In the palace, Asclepius saw a snake and killed it. But soon, another snake appeared with a herb in its mouth and resurrected the dead one. Asclepius used the same herb to revive the deceased son of Minos.

For this apparent violation of the established laws of the universe, the god Zeus destroyed Asclepius with lightning. Hades, who ruled the world below, did not want to lose his devotees

Asclepion is located in the city of Bergama, in Aegean Turkey. Image credit: Antoloji - CC BY-SA 4.0

So for the ancient Greeks, Asclepius became the god of healing. He was depicted with a staff entwined with one or two snakes, which until today remains the only valid symbol of medicine and a distinctive sign of pharmacies.

Asclepius's children Hygieia ("Hygiene," the goddess of cleanliness), Iaso (the goddess of recovery from illness), Aceso (the goddess of the healing process), Aegle (the goddess of good health), Panacea (the goddess of universal remedy) dealt with matters related to health and treatment. His sons Machaon and Podalirius were healers.

The ancient city of Asclepion Pergamon became one of the most famous healing centers and the world's first psychiatric hospitals. Unlike today's modern hospitals, people were more than eager to get to the Asclepion. A central sanctuary was dedicated to him at Epidaurus, where he was born.

An altar in the Propylaea of Pergamon Asclepium, Turkey. Image credit: Bernard Gagnon - CC BY-SA 3.0

Asclepion (Asklepieion) was a mixture between a sanctuary and a modern spa. It had facilities where the sick could relax and enjoy themselves, such as a library and a small theater.

Practiced therapy was based on both psychological and physical treatments. Patients enjoyed mud baths and music concerts and were given water from the sacred fountain. Later it was discovered that this holy source of water had radioactive properties.

Hours of therapy also probed the meaning of the previous night's dreams, as patients believed dreams recounted a visit by the god Asclepios, who held the key to curing illness.

In the morning, the patients ascended to the temple with a circular shape so that they could walk in a never-ending procession. Inside the temple, there was an underground passage. Patients went down a short flight of steps into a tunnel. Cubicles were located at the sides of the passage. Here, patients spent the night there to then tell their dreams to the priests/doctors to facilitate the diagnosis of their disease.

Asclepion - Bergama (Pergamon) - Turkey. Image credit: Adam Jones - CC BY-SA 2.0

Many ancient cultures believed in the power of dreams, not only ancient Egyptians.

It was believed that Asclepios had the power to rise from the dead, and he was brought back to life by the great god Zeus. It was why he was also thought to have a snake form, and tame snakes were kept in his temples. The animal was regarded as a symbol of regeneration.

Today, the Temple to Asclepius is almost entirely lost except for an altar fragment decorated with snakes. The Serpent People played a significant role in the ancients' lives, and many gods were depicted as snakes or surrounded by snakes.

It was not possible for all people to visit the Asclepion of Pergamum. There were strict requirements about who could enter: no one near death could come. It was a place of health, not death. It was vital that Asclepion must not lose its reputation as a place where people were cured.

During the Roman period, Asclepion was a famous and prestigious place that peaked in the 2nd century AD.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

Updated on January 12, 2023

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