Located on the fertile Argolid plain of the east Peloponnese in Greece and blessed with a mild climate and natural springs, the sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus was an important sacred centre in both ancient Greek and Roman times. Ancient Greeks & Shamanism
The Ancient Greeks incorporated into their philosophy, religion, and society manyshamanistic principles. These principles could reach as fa
r back as the Paleolithic age,from the predecessors of the Greeks. Although there is some discord about the exactdefinition of ‘shamanistic’, the definition I utilize pertains to the following: theexperience of ecstasy where the soul is believed to leave the body, and ascend up towardsthe heavens or downwards to the underworld; a special relationship with spirits; and mastery over fire. Shamans are also healers, often in the medical and especially in thespiritual sense. From Parmenidesto Plato, shamanism influenced Greek thought.The Orphics, and the myth of Orpheus himself, is abundant with shamanicthought. The Orphics participated in an initiations, or teletai. Guthrie describes teletai as both a religious act and writing, or ways to achieve redemption and purification from sinand to become free from the troubles of this world. Here, in an ecstatic ritual, the participants briefly experience a communion of ecstasy with god. These rituals were composed of singing from hymns, which were transcribed in 2nd century B.C.The hymns were calls from various gods, nature, and other forms the Orphics considereddivine. In this shamanic state of consciousness (SSC) the Orphics experienced their brief bliss of union with their Creator, where he was accepted into the family of the gods.This is exactly what the shaman undergoes in his trance; transcending this world to learn The Way of the Shaman from the ‘other’, that is the gods and sprits. Shamans in the Artic meet their God’s sonsand daughters in their ecstatic ascent into heaven
Epidaurus was named after the hero Epidauros, son of Apollo. The Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus is a remarkable testament to the healing cults of the Ancient World and witness to the emergence of scientific medicine. Situated in the Peloponnese, in the Regional unit of Argolis, the site comprises a series of ancient monuments spread over two terraces and surrounded by a preserved natural landscape. Among the monuments of the Sanctuary is the striking Theatre of Epidaurus, which is renowned for its perfect architectural proportions and exemplary acoustics. The Theatre, together with the Temples of Artemis and Asklepios, the Tholos, the Enkoimeterion and the Propylaia, comprise a coherent assembly of monuments that illustrate the significance and power of the healing gods of the Hellenic and Roman worlds. The Sanctuary is the earliest organized sanatorium and is significant for its association with the history of medicine, providing evidence of the transition from belief in divine healing to the science of medicine. Initially, in the 2nd millennium BCE it was a site of ceremonial healing practices with curative associations that were later enriched through the cults of Apollo Maleatas in the 8th century BCE and then by Asklepios in the 6th century BCE. The Sanctuary of the two gods was developed into the single most important therapeutic center of the ancient world. These practices were subsequently spread to the rest of the Greco-Roman world and the Sanctuary thus became the cradle of medicine. Among the facilities of the classical period are buildings that represent all the functions of the Sanctuary, including healing cults and rituals, library, baths, sports, accommodation, hospital and theatre. The site is one of the most complete ancient Greek sanctuaries of Antiquity and is significant for its architectural brilliance and influence. The Sanctuary of Epidaurus (with the Theatre. The exquisitely preserved Theatre continues to be used for ancient drama performances and familiarizes the audience with ancient Greek thought.
