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Asclepion

Home → Ancient Cities of Turkey → Asclepion

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An ancient medical centre, the Asclepion was founded by Archias, a local who had been cured at the Asclepion of Epidaurus (Greece). Treatments included mud baths, the use of herbs and ointments, enemas and sunbathing. Diagnosis was often by dream analysis.

Pergamon‘s centre came to the fore under Galen (AD 131–210), who was born here and studied in Alexandria, Greece and Asia Minor before setting up shop as physician to Pergamum’s gladiators. Recognised as perhaps the greatest early physician, Galen added considerably to knowledge of the circulatory and nervous systems, and also systematised medical theory. Under his influence, the medical school at Pergamum became renowned. His work was the basis for Western medicine well into the 16th century.

The Asclepion is 2km uphill from the town centre as the crow flies (but it’s a winding road), signposted from Cumhuriyet Caddesi just north of the tourist office and PTT. A second road runs from Böblingen Pension, southwest of town. It’s closed to motorists and we don’t recommend walking it, as it passes through a large military base; if you do, be off it by dusk and don’t take photos.

A Roman bazaar street, once lined with shops, leads from the entrance to the centre, where you’ll see the base of a column carved with snakes, the symbol of Asclepios (Aesculapius), god of medicine. Just as the snake sheds its skin and gains a ‘new life’, so the patients at the Asclepion were supposed to ‘shed’ their illnesses. Signs mark a circular Temple of Asclepios, a library and, beyond it, a Roman theatre.

Underground access to the Temple of Telesphorus in Roman city Pergamum. The Asklepion of Pergamum was something in between a sanctuary and a spa resort.

Underground access to the Temple of Telesphorus in Roman city Pergamon. The Asklepion of Pergamon was something in between a sanctuary and a spa resort.

You can take a drink from the sacred well, although the plastic tube out of which the water flows doesn’t look particularly inviting, and pass along the vaulted underground corridor to the Temple of Telesphorus, another god of medicine. Patients slept in the temple hoping that Telesphorus would send a cure or diagnosis in a dream. The names of Telesphorus’ two daughters, Hygeia and Panacea, have passed into medical terminology.

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Asclepion, 100% based on 1558 ratings
By LETO on July 11, 2000   /   Ancient Cities of Turkey, Biblical Sites in Turkey, Must-See Places in Turkey   /   30 Comments
Tags: archias asclepion, Pergamon
30 Reviews
  1. Julian S
    11:58 am on April 20, 2001

    Aescalepia are healing sanctuaries dedicated to the god Aesculapius that functioned as hospitals. There are around 300 ancient Aescalepia Greek and Roman ruins and this is one of the more complete ones that includes remains of a colonnaded street, Via Tecta (sacred way), the Aesculapius sanctuary, Heroon, incubation rooms, library, porticos, bathing pools, latrines. Of particular importance is the base…

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  2. frenchic32
    4:44 pm on February 14, 2002

    Visiting the Asklepion was amazing and really interesting. It was great having a guide giving us information on the site, as we were told what kinds of treatments were offered and what the buildings and ruins were originally.

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  3. Adventurers049
    12:56 pm on July 28, 2002

    The complete visit is facinating… just go and visit!

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  4. Orangulu
    4:22 pm on August 1, 2002

    Wewalked from bergama central to the Asklepion on a Sunday morning and practically had the place to ourselves. Take a good guidebook to the site, with a mapm abnd plenty of time to wander, discoverm think. . It is large, in relatively good repair, and a visual depiction of the philosophy and development of "medicine" by Galen the Physician. I…

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  5. BSurahyo
    3:13 pm on August 24, 2003

    The Asclepion (Asklepieion) of Pergamum was once the world's most famous ancient medical center, and is the second-most important site in modern Bergama. The Temple of Asclepios, remains of the library, agora columns and intimate theatre are well signposted.

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  6. Peregrinojim
    12:44 am on July 24, 2004

    My family has interests in the medical profession so this was a good history lesson. The 15 TRY seemed a bit high for this attraction. For a family definitely too high a price.

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  7. WSCTraveler
    2:44 am on February 10, 2005

    Galen the physician practiced here and the day that I was there with my tour guide it was peaceful and quiet. The hospital practiced what would now be called holistic methods of healing and one can see how the setting would add to that. Crowds were small that day and I think that if you are in Bergama you should…

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  8. Ritam
    1:00 pm on May 11, 2005

    Asklepion was amazing and really interesting.

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  9. AmAsiaMinor
    4:04 am on May 27, 2005

    The ruins of Pergamon's Asklepieion are in a separate location but well worth the short trip over there. Most tourists don't bother but it was nice to have the place to ourselves and it was so interesting to explore what was the center for treatment of psychological disorders in Ancient Roman times.

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  10. kev11385
    8:21 am on December 9, 2005

    The Asklepion in Pergamum is much better preserved than the similar structure found in Epidaurus in Greece.
    Essentially a glorified Health Spa, patients would come here to pray to the God Asklepius to be cured or for good health. Treatment included bathing, poetry reading and hallucinagenics in a darkened room.
    Anyone who was terminally ill was turned away as Asklepius…

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The big tip is to try and go completely private. Many of the large tour companies offer private tour and they are going to charge a significant amount of money for the tour guide. However, many locations offer self-guided tours and therefore you have the ability to supply your own tour guide. Easily Book your guided private Ephesus tours, to see all the treasures of Ephesus Turkey. It's often said that Turkey has more ancient cities and classical ruins than does Greece. Well, it's true, and the Aegean coast holds a great number of sites, including Ephesus, the grandest and best-preserved of them all.

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