{"id":10955,"date":"2022-11-15T09:28:32","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T09:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/epidaurus-asclepius-greece\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T13:20:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T13:20:53","slug":"epidaurus-asclepius-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/epidaurus-asclepius-greece\/","title":{"rendered":"The Temple of Asclepius & the Theater of Epidaurus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Known for its extraordinarily well-preserved ancient theatre, the archaeological site of Epidaurus is a must-visit stop for any traveler passing through the Peloponnese!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

\ud83d\udca1 Hot Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Accommodations:<\/strong><\/strong> Top hotels in the Peloponnese<\/a> & in Athens<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\ude97 Car Rental:<\/strong> compare the deals<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Plan Your Stay:<\/strong> The Complete Guide to the Peloponnese<\/a> and The Complete Guide to Athens <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Brief history of Epidaurus & the Temple of Asclepius<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An ancestral therapeutic site<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the sanctuary of Asclepius was founded in the 6th<\/sup> century\nBC, its origins are much more distant! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 2nd<\/sup> millennium BC, the site was\noccupied by a therapeutic sanctuary where patients gathered to\nimplore divine healing. At the time, any hope of recovery was based on\nreligious believes: patients hoped to win the favors of the\ngods by participating in ceremonial rituals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the centuries, these religious ceremonies were enriched\nwith more tangible curative practices and thus gradually shifted towards\nactual medical science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 8th<\/sup> century B.C., the sanctuary adopted the\ncult of Apollo Maleatas, then that of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, in the 6th<\/sup>\ncentury BC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Temple of Asclepius<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Sanctuary of Asclepius was established in the 6th<\/sup> century BC. As the first sanatorium in history, it quickly became the most important therapeutic center in the ancient world. Over the following centuries, the medical practices implemented at the sanctuary gradually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. This is why the Sanctuary of Asclepius is today considered the birthplace of medicine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\ud83e\udd14 Who was Asclepius? \ud83e\udd14<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Son of Apollo, Asclepius was the Greco-Roman god of medicine. According to legend, Zeus executed Asclepius to punish him for trying to raise the dead! After killing him, Zeus realized that Asclepius only sought to do good, so he transformed him into a constellation: the constellation of Ophiuchus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A symbol of the god, the staff (or caduceus) of Asclepius (a stick along which a snake is coiled) is still used as an emblem medicine!\u2695\ufe0f<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Asclepia: Panhellenic games<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like the sanctuaries of Delphi and Olympia, the sanctuary\nof Asclepius also held great panhellenic games:\ncompetitions organized in honor of the gods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably created in the 6th<\/sup> century BC,\nthese games included athletic as well as cultural competitions:\nrunning, horseback riding, wrestling, music and poetry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last historical trace of the Asclepia dates from the 3rd<\/sup>\ncentury AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Theater<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Epidaurus<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The theater of Epidaurus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Built in the 4th<\/sup> or the 3rd<\/sup> century BC,\nthe Theater of Epidaurus is said to be the work of the architect\nPolykleitos the Younger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a capacity of 6,200 people at the time of its\nconstruction, the theater was enlarged in the 2nd<\/sup> century BC to accommodate\nup to 12,000 spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ancient Theater of Epidaurus is still considered\nan architectural masterpiece partly because of its incredible acoustics:\na whisper at the bottom of the stands can indeed be heard all the way to the top of the theater!\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The archaeological site today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Discovered in the 19th<\/sup> century, the Temple of Asclepius\nand the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus were the subject of major excavations conducted by the Greek archaeologist\nPanagiotis Kavvadias from the year 1879. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1988, Epidaurus was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Epidaurus<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stadium<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus & Must-sees and Top Activities.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Considered to be the best preserved ancient theater in\nthe world, the theater of Epidaurus (built in the 4th<\/sup> century B.C.) has stood the test of time\nand remains to this day miraculously unscathed! It is one of Captain Ulysses’\nfavorite landmarks in the Peloponnese!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have very little time to visit the ancient site\nof Epidaurus, the Captain recommends ocusing on the\ntheater, nestled 500 meters from the temple, in the middle of a breathtaking\nscenery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During your visit, be sure to test the theater’s incredible acoustics:\nfrom the top of the stands you can hear every word\nwhispered on the stage! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Theater<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Temple of Asclepius<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it may not be quite as impressive as Mycenae, Delphi or Olympia, the\nTemple of Asclepius remains a fascinating archaeological site,\nand is well worth a visit. The site is particularly\nbeautiful in spring, when it is covered with small country flowers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During your visit, be sure to have a look at: <\/p>\n\n\n\n