Pergamon--Asklepion

The Asklepieion, the ancient mecca for healing, was built in the lower Pergamon.it was built in the 4th century BC in the name of the god of Health and Medicine, Asclepius

The patrons used to walk down the sacred road from the upper Pergamon to enjoy the famous medical health spa specializing in water, music, herbal, and dream therapies. The restorative powers of the hydrotherapy from the Asklepieion’s thermal waters and herbal/dream/honey therapies were renowned throughout all of the Mediterranean region and patrons came from far and wide. 

Also, as entertainment was thought to be a curative agent, there was a small theater with a capacity of 3,500 people. In the Asklepieion, two thousand years before Freud analyzed dreams, there were rooms where, with sounds of running water and music, the patrons had their dreams analyzed as part of the curative procedures.

The most celebrated “favorite son” was the Pergamon-born Galen (129-200 A.D.). His brilliant work and research at the Asklepieion were, and still are, the foundation from which modern western medicine has developed. 

After coming back from this tour, people have been known to feel humbled and to have a much fuller awareness of the greatness of the ancient past.