Ancient Asklepion of Epidaurus

Asklepios is located in a picturesque valley of the Peloponnese, it was one of the most prominent sites of ancient Greece, known as the center of medicine and the cult of worship of Asklepios, the god of healing. The Temple of Asclepius was built in the 4th century BC by the architect Polykleitos the Younger; according to Pausanias, the temple was built in an area famous for its healing thermal springs. The complex included several important buildings such as the Temple of Asklepios, the Theater, the Stadium, the Gymnasium (sanctuary, odeon, refectory), the Katagogium (dormitories for pilgrims), and the Abaton healing center. The priests offered a variety of treatments: bathing in hot springs, massage, physical exercise, treatment with natural medicines and spiritual condition. Treatment in the initial stages consisted of certain rituals, the patient had to spend the night in the temple, where they supposedly appeared to Asclepius in a dream, granting healing or giving advice for recovery. Then they had to tell their dreams to the priest. On the basis of the dreams, treatment was prescribed, and it was the duty of the priests to draw up tables describing the course of the disease, the measures taken by the priests, and the results they achieved. In this way the priests contributed to the accumulation of medical knowledge. Asklepion became an important center for the development of medicine and medical education, because the priests who served here encountered a variety of cases, which allowed them to gain valuable experience and improve their knowledge. It was a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center for the treatment of mind and body. The Theater of Epidaurus known for its perfect acoustic design and aesthetics was also part of the complex. It served not only as a place for cultural performances, but also as a way to maintain harmony between the physical, emotional and spiritual state. Asklepios became a symbol of medical science and the healing arts, and its healing successes attracted many pilgrims from all over the ancient world.