Peloponnese: Epidaurus

Healing at the Temple of Asclepius

For the week of October 29th, CYA headed to the Peloponnese for our second official field trip! 

Our first stop was the healing sanctuary of Asclepius in Epidaurus. 

Asclepius was just a regular old Greek when he discovered a nack for medicine and healing. Usually, the realm of healing was Apollos. When Asclepius' methods got popular, people raved all over the ancient world. Someone called upon Delphi and asked if Asclepius had anything to do with Apollo, and Apollo confirmed this. From then on, Asclepius became a deity and relieved Apollo of some of his healing responsibilities. 

The sanctuary had a giant theater (which still has perfect acoustics), a place for guests to stay over night, a place for the Hospital, as well as many other amenities that sanctuaries had. It also had many commissioned pieces of art to serve as offerings from the wealthy who had been healed there. 

What is particularly interesting about this temple, is that it was meant for healing in general. When people were ill, they often went to sanctuaries to make offerings in hope that the gods would heal them. However, Asclepius had its own ancient medical practice which goes against some of the principles of sacred law within a sanctuary.

There is not allowed to be blood shed within in the sanctuary. If women were menstruating, they were considered impure and were not allowed to enter. Women who had recently given birth were also not permitted within Sanctuaries. Above all else, there could not be a death within the sanctuary. All these things brought miasma, or negative energy, into the sanctuary if these conditions were not met. Naturally, having a hospital in the middle of the sanctuary would cause problems. From what we know, people would be asked to be taken outside of the sanctuary walls if they were about to die or give birth.It was a beautiful location, as all Greek sites typically are. They really had an eye for scenery. What I think was most interesting about it, was that the scenery really hasn't changed since ancient times. Its still in a rather secluded area, the near by hills haven't been developed and there is just a wonderful sense of peace there. It is easy to see why people would have flocked there. 

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The password is "Epidaurus"