Kos Askleipion

 archaeological site, interesting place, archaeology museum, fenced area, Ancient Greece

According to ancient Greek mythology Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. He was the son of Apollo and Coronis or Arsinoe. The father sent him to the Earth where later the boy was carried to Chiron who was considered to be a kind centaur. He taught him the art of healing.
Asclepius became such a great healer that he even learned the art of raising the dead which meant that he reached immortality. The gods got angry and they killed Asclepius. But he returned from the Erebus and became the god of healing.
Asklepion was the temple of the gods who in one way or another were concerned with medicine. Asklepion was also an institution where healers were curing their patients, trying to systematize medicine and teaching other people the art of healing.
A total number of Asklepions in the world was more than 300. But Asklepion on Kos Island was one of the largest and well-known of all. It dates to around 400 BC and brought to light in 1902 by the German archeologist Herzog.

The sick, who came from far and near, presented themselves at the doors of the sanctuary pleading for help, and they were allowed to enter only those who were counted worthy after careful evaluation by the priests.
The foundations of the patients rooms can be seen in the first terrace. During the first three days in the Asklepion, the patients were subjected to fasting and ritual washings. On the left side of the first terrace are the remains of the baths where it was practiced hydrotherapy.
Subsequently, the patient had to sacrifice an animal to god Asclepius, the act required to be eligible to Abaton, the place where spending the night lying on the skin of a sacrificial victim. During the night Asclepius would appear in a dream to the patient and suggest him the treatment.
The Abaton is located on the second terrace on the left side while Excedera, the place where the priests were meeting, is located on the right side. The priests, try to interpret the dream, talked a lot with the patients and observed the physical symptoms and establishing the diagnosis of disease and treatment. For the first time was written medical records, diagnosis and prognosis.
The treatments offered in the hospital were based on healthy life in harmony with nature, water therapies, physical activity, diet, relaxation and recreation. They were used in natural herbal medicine and practiced the simple interventions. But the decisive factor was that the patient was seen and treated as a set of body and soul from the imbalance between the body and the mind.
Faith in God Asklepios gave hope for healing and believe in healing was the first step toward recovery. The sacredness of the place surrounded by statues and religious symbols intensified even more the suggestion of the patient. The second terrace are still visible the basics of the two altars to Apollo (the father) and Asclepius (the son) with some columns.
The last terrace was home to the great altar of Asclepius with the statue of the god of medicine with his daughters. The statue has not survived, but we know from the writings that was visible from the harbor of Kos. After the prohibition of the worship of Asclepius and with the introduction of Christianity was built in place of the statue a Christian church. Today is still visible the altar.