Aesculapius

Definition

Aesculapius, also known as Asclepius, is an ancient Greek god associated with healing and medicine. Worshiped by both the Greeks and the Romans, Aesculapius was believed to possess the power to cure diseases and restore health to the sick and injured. He is depicted as a bearded man holding a staff entwined with a snake, which has become an enduring symbol of medicine.

The Origins of Aesculapius

Aesculapius was the son of Apollo, the Greek god of music, poetry, and prophecy, and a mortal woman named Coronis. In some myths, Apollo’s jealousy led him to kill Coronis while she was pregnant, and he saved the unborn Aesculapius by cutting him from her womb. He was then raised by the centaur Chiron, who taught him the art of healing.

Examples:

• In one myth, Aesculapius resurrected a dead man named Hippolytus after being struck by a lightning bolt. This act caused a conflict with Hades, the god of the underworld, as it disrupted the natural order of life and death.
• Another myth tells the story of Aesculapius healing a group of female prisoners suffering from