Throughout antiquity patients sought relief and healing from their afflictions in the
sanctuaries of Asclepius the God of healing. The Asclepian healing cult included sacrifices
ablutions and incubation. In their dreams the patients received therapeutic instructions. But
not only miraculous cures occurred in the Asclepieia nor were these sacred sites the last
refuge of the seriously ill. Using selected examples from the Roman Imperial Period Florian
Steger outlines the healthcare provided in the prominent Asclepian sanctuaries - Epidaurus and
Pergamum in particular - and demonstrates that this healthcare was on a par with the
contemporary medical culture. Ancient epigraphic healing reports and the patient journal of the
celebrated orator Publius Aelius Aristides paint a vivid picture of the daily treatments. The
medicine of Asclepius clearly formed an integral part of the Roman Empire's multifaceted
healthcare market.
