Ancient Greek city-states often hired public doctors to treat citizens and soldiers during times of war, pirate raids, epidemics or natural disasters. This is an instance showing the attention paid by the ancient city-states to public health, and in fact, in many cases, the hiring of doctors was an important step for war preparations. According to inscriptions, public doctors offered significant services and, in many cases in difficult circumstances, without payment. For this reason they were treated as benefactors and honoured with privileges.

English translation

In the archonship of Pherekles, in the seventh prytany, held by the tribe Oineis, to which Epicharinos son of Demochares of the deme of Gargettos was secretary; on the twenty-second day of Gamelion, the twenty-ninth day of the prytany; assembly; of the presiding committee Phylaxias son of Phanios of the deme of Anagyrous was putting to the vote and fellow members of the presiding committee; Resolved by the People; Euboulides son of Euboulos of the deme of Eleusis proposed; since the doctor Pheidias always acted in the interests of the people of Athens and treated with love of honours any Athenian in need and now has offered himself to be a public doctor without compensation, demonstrating the good will which he ha s towards the city, for the good fortune be it resolved by the People to praise Pheidias, son of Apollonios of Rhodes o f his good will and professional care that he continually shows to the Athenian People and to crown him with an olive wreath. The prytany secretary shall inscribe this decree on a stone stele and set it up in the sanctuary of Asclepius.

The stele was found on the southern slope of the Acropolis, between the theater of Dionysus and the odeon of Herodes Atticus, that is, near the sanctuary of Asclepius.

The myth of Asclepius

Asclepius, the love child of the god Apollo and the mortal Koronis, was raised on Mount Pelion, where he was taught the secrets of healing by the Centaur Chiron. Some cities of Thessaly and Messenia, but also Epidaurus, are mentioned as places of his birth. Variations of the myth cited that he was saved by Apollo who took him out of his mother’s womb, while she was laid on her funeral pyre. Other variations mention that he was born in Epidaurus, abandoned on Mount Titthion, where he was raised by a goat sent by Apollo. It is said that he had the ability to resurrect the dead and this is the reason why he was struck by lightning by Zeus, so as not to upset the balance of the world.

This variant of the myth possibly explains the dual nature of Asclepius, who was honoured as a hero, but from the late classical times and especially during the Hellenistic and Roman eras he was worshiped as a god-doctor. His worship was chthonic in nature and the healing of the patients was achieved by purifications, ascension and miraculous intervention of the god during the patient’s sleep, use of mild healing methods as well as surgeries. The ritual for the preparation of the patient was determined, while numerous inscriptions and votive offerings testify to the god’s miracles and the healing of patients.

Great sanctuaries of the antiquity document the spread and importance of the cult of Asclepius. They were often found in places associated with his birth or areas with pre-existing worship of deities with healing properties. The oldest Asclepieion is said to have been that of Trikki in Thessaly, however, important sanctuaries of the god were located in Epidaurus, Athens, Pergamon and Kos. Some Asclepieia, in addition to places of worship, included theatrical and / or athletic installations, in which competitions with Panhellenic participation took place. Baths (Thermai) and fountains, as well as living areas for the faithful, but also groves around the sanctuaries offered a general euphoria and healing of the body and the spirit.

The sanctuary of Asclepius in Athens

On the southern slope of the Acropolis, northwest of the theater and the sanctuary of Dionysus, is a sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the healing god and his daughter Hygeia. The sanctuary was founded in 420/19 BC by the Athenian citizen Telemachos who dedicated an altar to Asclepius, his sons and daughters. Asclepius’cult arrived in Athens from the great sanctuary of Epidaurus through a smaller Asclepieion located in Zea of Piraeus. This information comes from the founding stele of the sanctuary, the so called “Telemachos Relief”, according to which the god Asclepius “ascended” to Athens the week in which the great mysteries were celebrated, namely the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The sanctuary occupies two terraces. To the east was built the enkoimitirion or abaton. It is a two-storey Doric portico, partly carved into the rock, which included the sacred spring from which water gushed. Here the patients were subjected to the purification of body and soul and spent the night, believing that the god would visit them in their dreams and miraculously cure them or indicate them a healing advice. On the same terrace was the sacred “bothros” (deposit), the propylon of the sanctuary and the temple, while in Roman times a portico was built. In the western terrace was the Ionian portico, the archaic fountain and two small temples dedicated, according to the traveller Pausanias, to Themis and Isis – Aphrodite.

Anatomical dedications to Asclepius

From antiquity to the present day, images of human limbs or organs (relief or sculpted) are dedicated to the gods (or saints) as a prayer for the healing of the depicted members, or as thanks for their cure. In modern times a similar practice is the gold and silver plates (tamata), which are placed in front of the icons of saints in Christian churches.

Texts: Ioanna Venieri, Eleni Zavvou, Stamatoula Makrypodi,Eirene-Loukia Choremi

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