Asclepius: a Divine Doctor, a Popular Healer

Chapter 3 Asclepius: A Divine Doctor, A Popular Healer

Olympia Panagiotidou

The Asclepius Cult: Diffusion and Popularity

Asclepius was the healing god par excellence of Graeco-Roman antiquity. His cult is first documented on the Greek mainland in the fifth century BCE, when the Asklepieion of Epidaurus was established.1 From then onwards, sanctuaries were built to honour Asclepius in many cities, offering an alternative healing option to the people who suffered from various illnesses or diseases. This paper intends to explore the popularity of the Asclepius cult, and the particu- lar social, cultural, and cognitive processes that mediated the spread of the reputation of Asclepius’ healing power in the Graeco-Roman world. Greek authors unanimously regard Thessaly as the region in which the cult of Asclepius arose, but the Epidaurian Asklepieion gradually developed into the cult’s most popular healing centre.2 The inscriptions dated from the early fourth century BCE record various cases of patients who travelled from Aigina, Argos, Halieis, Epeiros, Messene, Sparta, Herakleia, Hermione, Kaphyiai, Keos, Kirrha, Pherai, Thebes, and Troezen, and from more distant places—Chios, Knidos, Lampsakos, Mytilene, Thasos, and Torone—, to Epidaurus,3 reflect- ing the pan-Hellenic reputation of the sanctuary. Under Epidaurian influence, early sanctuaries were devoted to Asclepius in Messene,4 Arcadia,5 Athens,6 and Corinth,7 and flourished during the classical period (fifth-fourth century

1 The Asclepius sanctuary in Tricca was earlier than the Epidaurian Asklepieion, but has not been found by archaeologists; Julius Ziehen (1892, 195–197) provides some evidence about it. A stoa building found by Kastriotis (1918, 65–7) is dated in the late Hellenistic period. 2 Martin and Metzger 1976, 62–66; Papachatzis 2002, 205; Riethmüller 2005, I, 279–324. 3 Dillon 1994, 243; 1997, 73–80; Wickkiser 2008, 41. 4 The excavations from 1987 onwards revealed the earlier phases of the Asclepius sanctuary in Messene in the Peloponnesus. 5 Ginouvès 1959; Martin and Metzger 1976, 66. 6 Girard 1881; Martin and Metzger 1949, 316–350; Travlos 1971, 127–137; Papachatzis 2002, 304; Lefantzis and Jensen 2009. 7 Roebuck 1951; Lang 1977; Martin and Metzger 1976, 64–65; Papachatzis 2002, 80.

BCE). In the fourth century BCE, in Pergamon,8 Lebena on Crete,9 and on the island of Cos,10 Asklepieia were also built that evolved into great healing cen- tres that attracted visitors from places near and far for almost one millennium. From the Hellenistic era onwards, Asclepius enjoyed increased reverence. Numerous temples were devoted to him in many Hellenistic cities, while his reputation spread widely in the Graeco-Roman world. In the Peloponnese, in addition to the earlier sanctuaries in Epidaurus, Corinth, Messene and Arca- dia, Asklepieia were built in Cyllene,11 Argos,12 Helieia,13 Gortys14 and Sicyon.15 Temples were dedicated to Asclepius in Attica16 and Phocis17 as well as in many cities of Macedonia.18 It is estimated that during the fourth and third century BCE about 200 Asklepieia were erected on the Greek mainland,19 and hundreds of temples were devoted to Asclepius beyond.20 In Greek insular areas, Asklepieia were established, among others, on Euboea,21 Thasos,22 Delos,23 Paros24 and Anaphe.25 In Asia Minor, temples

8 Deubner 1938; Ziegenaus and De Luca 1968; Habicht 1969; Bean 1979, 58–59; McDonagh 1989, 222–225; Hoffmann 1998; C. Jones 1998; Petsalis-Diomidis 2010, 151–220. 9 Melfi 2007. 10 Martin and Metzger 1976, 66, 92, 108; further Herzog 1928; Kerényi 1959, 50–53; Sherwin- White 1978. 11 Pausanias VI, 21, 4. Virtually all the ancient testimonia about Asclepius are collected in Edelstein and Edelstein 1945. 12 Pausanias II, 21, 1. 13 Pausanias VI, 26, 5; V, 7, 1. 14 Pausanias VIII, 26, 6; X, 32, 12. 15 E.g. Pausanias II, 10, 2. 16 E.g. Scholia in Aristophanem, Ad Plutum, 621. 17 Pausanias X, 34, 6. 18 Especially on the Asklepieia in Macedonia see Lioulias 2010. 19 Riethmüller (2005, II, 9–315) estimates that 171 Asklepieia were built in Greek mainland during that period. 20 Riethmüller (2005, II) records 732 temples built beyond Greek mainland and provides relevant bibliographical and literary references. 21 IG XII, 9, 194. 22 IG XII, 8, 265. 23 IG XI, 2, 161 A, 72–73. 24 IG XII, 5, 119. 25 IG XII, 3, 248.