HISTORY OF
ASKLEPIOS

HISTORY OF ASKLEPIOS

“An Asklepion is the name given to ancient Greek temples of healing by the cult of the Asclepiads, followers of the Greek God of Healing, Asklepios.” - Charles Mraz

From the first day that humans appeared on this planet, medicine has existed in the form of primative and/or macro religious medicine. Religion and medicine, priest and doctor worked towards the same end: the defense of the individual against evil forces. Ancient Greece, during the pre-Hippocratic period, was the time of priestly Asklepion Medicine.



Asklepios was a real physician who lived in Greece around 1200 BC, and through time, myth and legend, he became the Greek God of healing. This was an era when the use of herbal therapies was passed on from one generation to another as part of an oral tradition.

Asklepios was the first to record the herb, the dose, and the condition treated, as well as the final outcome. This made him the first to apply an empirical methodology to medicine. His following grew and flourished for a thousand years as patients were brought to temples of healing that followed his paradigm.

The influence of Asklepios was far reaching. Hippocrates and Galen both studied in the Asklepions where the transformation from magic to the birthing of real science continued to grow for over two centuries. According to legend, when Galen was sixteen, his father was visited by Asklepios in a dream. Galen was told that his son should study medicine, at which time, Galen enrolled at the school attached to the Asklepion at Pergamam.

Throughout the history of Greek mythology, there has always been a connection to medicine. Asklepios is an integral part of that history. The story of Asklepios is that he was the son of Apollo, the Healer, formed by the union between the God Apollo, and a mortal, Koronis (or Coronis). According to ancient sources, Apolloʼs twin sister, Artemis, caught the pregnant Koronis having an affair with another mortal. Artemis punished the betrayal of her brother by killing Koronis. However, Apollo saved the unborn child by allegedly performing the first caesarean section. He then gave the infant to the centaur Chiron to raise. Being raised by the wise centaur, Chiron, Asklepios was taught the art of medicine, healing, and in time, Chiron taught Asklepios the art of surgery. These were the teaching that led Asklepios to become the most well-respected doctor of his day. According to the Pythian Odes of Pindar, Chiron also taught Asklepios the use of drugs, incantations and love potions.

Asklepios was married to a woman named Epione and by her, had a pair of sons named Machaon and Podalirius. Both of these sons were depicted as sons in the Illiad of Homer. The God, Asklepios also had daughters- Hygeia, Meditrine and Panacea who were Goddesses of cleanliness, medicine and healing. Although Asklepios was a god, it was woven into the myth that he died. It was believed that the God of Healing dared to use his powers to bring a mortal back to life. Reacting to this act, Zeus struck Asklepios dead with a bolt of lightening. Afterward, Zeus realized the importance of Asklepios to the world of mortal man. Zeus then placed Asklepios in the southern sky as the constellation Ophiuchus. The name means “serpent-bearer,” which relates to the Asklepios staff which was entwined with only one serpent.


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Today, this symbol is one that is identified with physicians around the world. Do not, however, confuse the staff of Asklepios, which features a single serpent, with the Caduceus of the Roman Mercury. The Caduceus, which features two intertwined serpents, as well as a pair of wings, has long been a symbol of commerce.

The Asklepion movement reached itʼs peak in the 4th century BC. Eventually, it was replaced by the teachings and admonitions of Hippocrates, circa 400 BC, who developed a rational medical system.



It wasnʼt until the end of the ancient world, and the rise of Christianity in the first and second centuries AD, that the Asklepion movement began to loose itʼs human appeal. Until that time, nearly every Greek city had itʼs own Asklepion. The worshipping and healing centers were built by the faithful to be their sanctuaries throughout the ancient world. The most renowned of these Asklepions were at Trikki, Epidaure, Titani, Athens, and Kos Island. Asklepions were normally located in parklands or groves, creating a clean and tranquil environment for those pursuing their health needs. These temples were the healthcare centers of their day. Apart from the healing ministries, Asklepios was additionally honored by athletic contests, musical and theatrical performances given in stadiums and theaters.

The lore and teachings of Asklepios represent an important paradigm shift in medicine that greatly influenced its successor movement - Hippocratic medicine. The legendary doctor, Hippocrates, began his career as an Asklepiad on the Island of Kos. The original Hippocratic oath begins with the invocation: “I swear by Apollo - the Physician, by Asklepios, and by Hygieia and Panacea, and by all the Gods.”

For a company such as ours, dedicated to finding therapies for the unmet needs of patients afflicted with a variety of complex liver disorders - choosing the name: “Asklepion” just seemed to be the right choice, the right philosophy, the right committment. By caring on the integrity of the past with the technology of today, we are ready to create our own paradigm shift in healthcare. It is our intent to combine the traditional natural cures, wellness, and the evolving science of genomic medicine in a new era of healthcare. Just as the ancients looked to the Asklepion as a locus for wisdom and healing, it is envisioned that Asklepion, the pharmaceutical company, will become an institution of scientific wisdom and pharmacotherapeutics within the diverse milieu of liver-based diseases.


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