An ancient medical centre, the Asclepion was founded by Archias, a local who had been cured at the Asclepion of Epidaurus (Greece). Treatments included mud baths, the use of herbs and ointments, enemas and sunbathing. Diagnosis was often by dream analysis. The Asclepion may not be as dramatic as the Acopolis, but in many ways it is complete and evocative of the times and how ancient people lived.
The Asclepion is 2km uphill from the town centre as the crow flies (but it’s a winding road), signposted from the Lead Mosque on Cumhuriyet Caddesi opposite the PTT. A second road (Asklepion Caddesi and Prof Dr Frieldhelm Korte Caddesi) runs from the southern end of Cumhuriyet Caddesi, southwest of town. It’s closed to motorists and we don’t recommend walking it, as it passes through a large military base; if you do, be off it by dusk and don’t take photos.
Pergamum’s Asclepion came to the fore under Galen (129–216 AD), who was born here and studied in Alexandria, Greece and Asia Minor before setting up shop as physician to Pergamum’s gladiators. Recognised as perhaps the greatest early physician, Galen added considerably to the knowledge of the circulatory and nervous systems, and also systematised medical theory. Under his influence, the medical school at Pergamum became renowned throughout the ancient world. His work was the basis for Western medicine well into the 16th century.
The Roman Via Tecta , a colonnaded sacred way, leads from the entrance to the sanctuary , where you’ll see the base of a column carved with snakes, the symbol of Asclepios, the god of medicine. Just as the snake sheds its skin and gains a ‘new life’, so the patients at the Asclepion were supposed to ‘shed’ their illnesses. Signs mark a circular Temple of Asclepios , a library and, beyond it, a heavily restored Roman theatre .
There are latrines over a channel in the southwest corner of the main courtyard and you can take a drink from the sacred well in the centre. From here pass along the vaulted tunnel to the treatment centre , a temple to another god of medicine called Telesphorus. Patients slept in the round temple hoping that Telesphorus would send a cure or diagnosis in a dream. The names of Telesphorus’ two daughters, Hygeia and Panacea, have passed into medical terminology.
Soft drinks, snacks and souvenirs (including parchment) are available from the stalls by the car park.
