The Asclepieion of Pergamon
Place where the object is located
Pergamon, Izmir, Turkey
Story of the object
The Asclepieion of Pergamon was established during the 1st half of the 4th century BC. According to Pausanias, Archias, the son of Aristaechmos, first built the temple in honor of Asclepius. He was allegedly saved by Asclepius in Epidaurus after being injured during hunting. It was built on a hill next to a spring. The entrance to the temple was through a monumental propylus, which ended in the Via Tecta, connecting the temple with the city. Towards the end of the 1st century AD, the Asclepieion was extended and in 123 AD, its complete restauration was decided.
EARLY USE
The Asclepeion of Pergamon has a unique feature, differentiating it from the rest of the Asclepieia: the Lex Sacra, an inscription found there in the early 20th century, dated to the 2nd century AD. It is considered as an insight in the rituals taking place during the visit of the patients therein, regulating the methods of contact with Asclepius for achieving healing. The Lex Sacra specifies the exact nature of offerings to be made prior to incubation and the payment required afterwards. Particular deities receiving the offerings were mentioned and even specific altars were allocated on which the offerings were to be placed on. After three days of bodily purifications (fasting and sexual abstinence), offerings were to be made and sacrifices. Important role was attributed to the visual stimulus induced by statues, images and votive offerings, creating a sacred aura in the Asclepieion. The Lex Sacra mentions two incubation chambers, the main one and the small one, the latter being considered cheaper, not requiring blood sacrifices, referring thus to poorer pilgrims, therefore not excluding less fortunate patients from the Asclepieion of Pergamon. Another precious source on the procedures followed in the Asclepieion of Pergamon is Aelius Aristides, who recorded his long-term stay there as a pilgrim in his Sacred Tales.
RELATIVE LITERATURE
• Petsalis-Diomidis A. Truly beyond wonders: Aelius Aristides and the cult of Asklepios. Oxford University Press, 2010.
• Petridou G. (2018). The Curious Case of Aelius Aristides.: The Author as Sufferer and Illness as ‘Individualizing Motif’. In Becker E. & Rüpke J. (Eds.), Autoren in religiösen literarischen Texten der späthellenistischen und der frühkaiserzeitlichen Welt: Zwölf Fallstudien (pp. 199-220). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck GmbH and KG.
• Wroth W. (1882). ASKLEPIOS AND THE COINS OF PERGAMON. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, 2, 1-51.
• Robinson A. (1978). The Cult of Asklepius and the Theatre. Educational Theatre Journal, 30(4), 530-542.
• Martin L. (1987). Aelius Aristides and the Technology of Oracular Dreams. Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, 14(1), 65-72.
EARLY USE
The Asclepeion of Pergamon has a unique feature, differentiating it from the rest of the Asclepieia: the Lex Sacra, an inscription found there in the early 20th century, dated to the 2nd century AD. It is considered as an insight in the rituals taking place during the visit of the patients therein, regulating the methods of contact with Asclepius for achieving healing. The Lex Sacra specifies the exact nature of offerings to be made prior to incubation and the payment required afterwards. Particular deities receiving the offerings were mentioned and even specific altars were allocated on which the offerings were to be placed on. After three days of bodily purifications (fasting and sexual abstinence), offerings were to be made and sacrifices. Important role was attributed to the visual stimulus induced by statues, images and votive offerings, creating a sacred aura in the Asclepieion. The Lex Sacra mentions two incubation chambers, the main one and the small one, the latter being considered cheaper, not requiring blood sacrifices, referring thus to poorer pilgrims, therefore not excluding less fortunate patients from the Asclepieion of Pergamon. Another precious source on the procedures followed in the Asclepieion of Pergamon is Aelius Aristides, who recorded his long-term stay there as a pilgrim in his Sacred Tales.
RELATIVE LITERATURE
• Petsalis-Diomidis A. Truly beyond wonders: Aelius Aristides and the cult of Asklepios. Oxford University Press, 2010.
• Petridou G. (2018). The Curious Case of Aelius Aristides.: The Author as Sufferer and Illness as ‘Individualizing Motif’. In Becker E. & Rüpke J. (Eds.), Autoren in religiösen literarischen Texten der späthellenistischen und der frühkaiserzeitlichen Welt: Zwölf Fallstudien (pp. 199-220). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck GmbH and KG.
• Wroth W. (1882). ASKLEPIOS AND THE COINS OF PERGAMON. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, 2, 1-51.
• Robinson A. (1978). The Cult of Asklepius and the Theatre. Educational Theatre Journal, 30(4), 530-542.
• Martin L. (1987). Aelius Aristides and the Technology of Oracular Dreams. Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques, 14(1), 65-72.
Unit of the Educational Material connected (2 - 2)
Label
Photo taken by Hugh Llewelyn on October 26th, 2009
