Religion played a major role in ancient societies' approaches to health and medicine. In many cultures, illness was believed to be caused by displeased gods or spirits, so treatment involved rituals and sacrifices to satisfy them. Some ancient Greeks consulted temples of gods like Apollo and Asclepius for cures. Places called asclepeia were built as healing temples where the god Asclepius was believed to visit and cure people in their sleep through dreams. The asclepeia were run by priests and some accounts of cures were recorded, with snakes as symbols of healing.

1. Year10Homework
What role did religion play?

2. Takealookthroughthis
• In many ancient societies the spirits and gods were believed to
make their presence known through disease. Treatment involved
attempts to satisfy them with ritual chanting or sacrifice, though
this was often combined with direct treatment of the sick person.
• In Egypt astrological explanations and advice sat alongside
prescription of herbal medicines, or advice on diet and rest.
• Not all Ancient Greeks turned to physicians when ill. Many still
turned to the gods.
• The god Apollo was consulted at a temple in Delphi and by the
sixth century B.C., many turned to the god Asclepios for help.

3. Asclepeia
• Places called asclepeia were built for those in poor health. These
were like temples and here people came to bathe, sleep and
meditate.
• Those who went to asclepeias were expected to leave offerings
to Asclepios. The asclepeias were run by priests. Patients to
asclepeias were encouraged to sleep as it was believed that
during sleep they would be visited by Asclepios. A visit was
expected to cure all ailments. Those who were not cured could
stay at the asclepeia where they were. Written accounts have
survived of those who were cured:
“Hermodicus of Lampsacus was paralysed in the body. When he slept
in the temple the god healed him and ordered him to bring to the
temple as large a stone as he could. The man brought the stone which
now lies before the abaton (where people slept).”

4. WhathappenedattheAsclepeia
• After exercising and resting, and
perhaps taking certain potions,
patients slept the night in the holy
place - called the abaton - of the
temple. Here the god and his
daughters Hygeia and Panacea came
with two holy snakes, and healed the
patients.
• The snake is still the symbol of
chemists, and the words hygiene and
panacea have become a part of our
language.

5. HippocraticOath
• I swear by Apollo, Asklepios and by all the gods that I will
keep this oath. I will use treatment to help the sick to the
best of my ability and judgement but never with a view to
injury or wrongdoing. I will not give poison to anybody. I will
be pure and holy in my life and practice. I will keep secret
anything I see or hear professionally which ought not to be
told…