Essentially, a visit to the Asclepieion of Epidaurus, the most important of the around 300 Asclepieia discovered around the Mediterranean, is an immersion to a sacred magical universe where the ancient Greeks’ holistic approach to health found its finest expression. Dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, it drew people from all over the ancient world seeking divine guidance to treat their health problems.
Signature to asclepian medicine was its comprehensive approach to patient care. Treatment largely centered around promoting healthy lifestyles, with a particular emphasis on a person’s spiritual needs. Asclepius was said to appear to patients during the curative dream ritual, through which they would be told what it is that they needed to do to cure their ailment; At the very least, if not directly visited by the deity during their sleep, they would report their dream to a priest, who would perform its interpretation and prescribe a cure, often a visit to the baths or a gymnasium.
The highlight of Epidaurus was its fine theatre, nowadays a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Designed by the architect Polykleitos the younger, it is renowned for its immaculate symmetry and allure while its incredible acoustics have been a frequent research topic -the secret seems to lie in the monument’s planning. The theatre was an integral part of the healing sanctuary for theatrical performances were thought to be beneficial to all the senses and could thus promote catharsis, or purification. Patients are thought to have been “prescribed” to attend specific performances depending on their condition, and the theater’s incredible acoustics are believed to have been used for sound healing.
Visitors can experience the profound acoustics for themselves -stand in the middle of the orchestra and sing or recite, or test the acoustics by gradually increasing their vocal volume until they can be heard by their partner sitting in the top tiers! During the Athens-Epidaurus Festival (one of the oldest performing arts festivals in Europe, taking place from June to October), one can even relish the unique experience of watching plays and concerts under the star-studded sky, in the same place and exactly as people did 2.500 years ago -no need for any sound equipment!
You can take a glimpse at the Asclepieion of Epidaurus here:
Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus, Greece – World Heritage Journeys. (2019, September 19). [Video]. YouTube.
Let us introduce you to Blue Mosaic’s culture options, with which our associate local licensed historian will guide you through the historical evolution of Western medicine from its primitive, magical origins to scientific medicine.
