We began our tour of the ancient city of Pergamum, (or Pergamon) located in modern day Bergama, by riding up a gondola to the peak point of the town. This area is also known as the Acropolis, or “high city” for the elite class, also serving as an ancient religious and cultural hub.
The kingdom of Pergamum was coincidentally discovered by German engineer, Carl Humann, in 1875 when looking for stones while building a road for the Ottoman Empire. As a result, some of the ancient ruins were moved to Germany and are now located in the Berlin Museum, such as the preservations of the Zeus Temple and other marble reliefs.
We then walked through the mounds of ruins to an overlook of the steepest ancient theater, with a stunning view of the mountainous landscape in the distance. The theater of Pergamum is also unique in that the Dionysius (Bacchus), god of wine and pleasure, Temple is located right next to the theater, illustrating the confluences of religious traditions on daily life and the multiple functions of a single site.
We were then granted special permission by a local guide to walk with us down the mountain to the Roman baths and Gymnasium area. Dr. Huber’s research in her article, “Making Men in Rev 2-3: Reading the Seven Messages in the Bath-Gymnasiums of Asia Minor,” highlights the importance of gymnasiums for both athletic training and education, but also in the formation of gender identities and social construction of an “ideal man”. Gymnasium training was often the primary step in achieving “manhood” in Pergamum as well as other kingdoms in Asia Minor.
In the gymnasium, there was a wide open area (previously surrounded by enormous pillars) where wrestling, running, and other athletic pursuits were performed. Additionally, there were small lecture halls surrounding the courtyard and most likely a library space for education.
Close by to the expansive gymnasium, we walked through an ancient home with preserved mosaics across the floor space. It was especially interesting to examine one particular mosaic with masked faces and exotic animals, presumably for the owner of the house to show off their collections as a patron or for other large gatherings.
After stopping for lunch at a local Kurd-Turkish restaurant, we rode to Asclepion, or the medical center and healing palace/temple of Pergamum. Once we walked through an ancient road previously lined by shops or pharmacies for patients, we entered the infamous Asclepion. The temple was dedicated to the Greek God Asclepius of healing, represented by a snake. This was due to snakes' antivenom against poison and their ability to shed and “regenerate” their outer layer of scales. The imagery of a snake can still be seen today in the intertwined snakes and rod of Asclepius on the medical emblem.
Upon paying money or gold to the temple, a person was allowed to enter the medical complex of Asclepion. Patients were then diagnosed through dream analysis which took place in two vital steps. First, the patients were placed into sleeping chambers with calm, running water to put them in a relaxed state of slumber. Next, patients were again placed in the sleeping chamber, but this time they were surrounded by hissing snakes to put them in an anxious mental state.
Once the doctors made their diagnoses through dream analysis, the patients then went through several different methods of treatment. This included the use of soothing herbal baths, entertaining comedy performances, an educational library, and even an underground tunnel with positive messages accompanied by the sound of running water for relaxation.
Additionally, present day medical workshops use the Acropolis theater for meetings with other doctors from Türkiye and around the world!
Some elements of Hellenistic rituals and Humoral medicine still have lasting impacts today. Although we have moved past the idea of balancing the four liquids in the body (blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm), we still use similar language such as comparing one with “hot blood” to the emotion of anger and high levels of phlegm to a “cold”. All in all, the Asclepion illustrates the confluences of religion on medicine and healing in the ancient world and its impacts on medical practices and society today.
The view of the ruins looks awesome!
ReplyDeletethis is so cool
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