The "smart" Asclepieion: A total healing environment

Journal Title: Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής - Year 2010, Vol 27, Issue 2

Abstract

For more than eight centuries, the Asclepieia in ancient Greece offerred health care, combining experimental therapeutic methods with a variety of religious and magical elements. This paper argues that neither the location nor the building composition of the Asclepieia were selected at random. Literature sources and excavations indicate that Asclepieia were built in locations of great natural beauty, rich in vegetation, with thermal springs and spectacular views. Buildings such as theaters, gymnasia and hippodromes, used by patients for physical exercise and recreation, were constructed next to the buildings where physicians were practising medicine. Some of the most important Asclepieia are described here, with emphasis on the special qualities of the natural environment and the recreational character of the buildings. It is obvious that the Asclepieia adopted a holistic approach to treatment, recognizing the importance both of the psychological and emotional factors in the healing procedure as well as the activation of the innate healing mechanisms of every human: medical intervention was combined with improvement of the psychological condition of sick people, by providing a pleasant and healthy environment for their residence. What has recently emerged as a major issue and a focal point in hospital design appears to have been a well-established practice in the ancient Greek healing centers.

Authors and Affiliations

H. CHRISTOPOULOU-ALETRA, A. TOGIA, C. VARLAMI

Keywords

Related Articles

Frequency of breastfeeding in postpartum women and related factors

OBJECTIVE To study the frequency and determinants of breastfeeding (BF) among women up to 5 days postpartum in a Peloponnese regional hospital. METHOD The study sample consisted of postpartum women (up to 5 days) who...

Lung edema and thrombosis induced by activated mannose-binding lectinassociated serine protease 2 and MHC class I reactions, and liver thrombosis aggravated by suppressed phosphotyrosine and female donor reactions to male-specific antigens in Lewis rats

OBJECTIVE The causes of lung edema and thrombosis and liver embolism were investigated in rats. METHOD Lewis rats were used. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL)-associated serine protease 2 (MASP-2) antibody (Ab) was injecte...

Trauma of the tracheobronchial tree

Tracheobronchial disruption is an uncommon injury associated with blunt or open thoracic trauma. Rupture of the trachea or of a major bronchus remains a life threatening injury and may be associated with disastrous acute...

Increased cartilage loading triggers differentiation/maturation of articular surface chondroblasts<br /> via activation of the MAPK–AP-1 signal transduction pathway

OBJECTIVE Mechanical loading is an important regulator of chondro-osteogenesis and a determinant of skeletal morphology. The molecular mechanisms underlying the chondroblastic response to mechanical cues remain elusive....

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP96981
  • DOI -
  • Views 83
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

H. CHRISTOPOULOU-ALETRA, A. TOGIA, C. VARLAMI (2010). The "smart" Asclepieion: A total healing environment . Αρχεία Ελληνικής Ιατρικής, 27(2), 259-263. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-96981