[The new Asklepios Glykon].
In the Roman Empire a close relationship between religion and medicine existed within everyday medical cultures. This can be particularly demonstrated for the Asklepios medicine of the Imperial age: religion and medicine were equal and interwoven components which characterized this independent form of medical practice. Lucian of Samosata reported on the Asklepios of Abonuteichos in his "Alexandros or the False Prophet". Contrary to most interpretations, in this study Lucian's text is evaluated and used as a historical source, and the following points are made: the "Alexandros" is fruitful for understanding Imperial religious history; and for the cult of Asklepios in Abonuteichos it is a key source. However, in contrast to earlier research on this topic, it is shown that only a few rudimentary statements concerning the medical practice of Asklepios in Abonuteichos can be gained from this source. While a historical analysis of the "Alexandros" leads to a better understanding of the healing cult aspects of the worship of Asklepios, the precise relationship between religion and medicine in Abonuteichos, and thus the actual character of Asklepios medicine, remains unclear.
Steger
Florian
F
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institut für Geschichte und Ethik der Medizin, Erlangen. florian.steger@gesch.med.uni-erlangen.de
D000818:Animals; D005197:Famous Persons; D049690:History, Ancient; D009229:Mythology; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D018644:Roman World / Q000266:history*; D012911:Snakes; D013561:Symbolism