Asclepius and the healing centres of the ancient world
Contributors
Created by Discover Greece Team
Sponsored by Ikos Resorts
Episode description
In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. We look at who he was and how he became famous throughout ancient Greece. The son of Apollo, he was born a mortal but was destined to acquire divine status and his gift of healing led to the creation of Asclepieia across the ancient Greek world. With stadiums and theatres, they were the original holistic healing centres, where treatment of the soul was a prerequisite for treatment of the body, and the mystical dimension was ever-present through the worship of Asclepius and other gods. Together, they laid the foundations on which Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, built. Got an itch to find out more? The doctor will see you now!
This episode of Discovergreece.com’s podcasts is sponsored by Ikos Resorts.
With special thanks to archaeologist Fani Seroglou, of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese, for her valued contribution.
- Ministry of Culture – Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese
- Ministry of Culture – Komvos «Odysseus»
- Koutalou, Ε. 2021. Asclepieion of Kos: Venue and function through the literary and archaeological sources. Unpublished Postgraduate Thesis. Rhodes: University of the Aegean
- Bosnakis, D. 2014. The Asclepieion of Kos. Athens: Culture Ministry – Archaeological Institute of Aegean Studies
- Riethmüller, J.W. 2005. Asclepius: Shrines and cults. Studies on Ancient Sanctuaries. Heidelberg: Verlag Archäologie and Geschichte
- Sambolidis, Ν. Chr. and G. Tasoulas (ed.) 2014. Hygieia. Health, Illness and Treatment from Homer to Galen. Athens: Museum of Cycladic Art
- Hatzinikolaou, Α.Μ. 1999. The Asclepieion of Kos. Unpublished doctoral thesis. Athens: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens