Introduction
Welcome to Epidaurus, a captivating destination where ancient history, stunning landscapes and cultural richness converge. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its well-preserved ancient theatre, attracting visitors worldwide. Beyond the theatre, Epidaurus is a treasure trove of archaeological and cultural wonders, such as the Sanctuary of Asclepius and the Museum of Epidaurus, which offer a glimpse into the impressive achievements of the ancient Greeks.My name is Maria. I have been a tour guide for over 20 years and enjoy indulging visitors in the fascinating world of Greek history. Let’s waltz together in the renowned Theater of Epidaurus, the museum, and the archaeological site. You will listen to fascinating stories and gain great insights into the most iconic landmark of Epidaurus. Let’s explore a place of spiritual significance and believed to have healing powers.
Stop 1 - Overview
Once you reach the archaeological site of Epidaurus, follow the main path that leads to the museum, the site and the theatre. Continue straight ahead and pass by the museum shop and the restaurant on your right. After a few meters, you will reach the ticket booth. You are now standing at the Sanctuary of Asclepius's entrance, the Epidaurus archaeological site and its ancient theatre. This is an exceptional place. Asclepius is a Hero and God, doctor and miraculous healer. He is generally recognised as the son of Apollo, which is not a coincidence, as Apollo is also the god of light and the sun. Therefore, the sun is the primary source of health and healing. The healing capabilities of Asclepius were not limited to physical ailments but also extended to mental and spiritual disorders. In ancient times, sick pilgrims would visit the Sanctuary, hoping the god would appear and reveal a cure for whatever illnesses were tormenting them. In the sanctuaries of Asclepius, the priests, the servants of God, were the ones who were healing people, using their long experience and knowledge of various cures. But this was done through a mysterious self-submission that combined traditional medicine with invasive psychotherapy and physical cleansing through fasting or special diets.Today, visitors can still admire the atmospheric ruins of the former healing sanctuary, the world-renowned ancient theatre still preserved in fantastic condition, and a small but very informative archaeological museum.
Stop 2 - The Museum Entrance
Continue straight ahead, follow the path along you and pass through an open gate. Don’t take the stairs on your right hand, but carry on straight forward, and you will see the museum building on your left. Turn left at the end of the building and head down the few stairs until you reach the museum entrance.The construction of the building was completed in 1900, and it opened as a museum in 1909. The structure is among the oldest archaeological museums in Greece. The exhibition of the museum, also organized by Panagis Kavvadias, is old and constitutes a characteristic sample of the museology concept of the early 19th century, with a dense exhibit ranking in a limited room. This point also shows the need to construct a modern museum in Epidaurus.The inside of the museum is divided into three sections. In the entrance hall, there are several exhibits to see, including the pilgrim’s ex-votos – thanking Asclepius for the cure that was bestowed on them.You will probably think this museum is a bit smaller than you expected but don’t let its size detract from its rich history! This small place houses immense treasures that give you a vivid and thorough understanding of how the Sanctuary of Asclepius was used throughout the years. Ready to discover? Let’s go.
Stop 3 - The First room: Right-hand side
Once inside the Museum, turn directly right and look at the wall between the door and the window. What is most interesting here is the ex-voto in the middle of the wall above three marble inscriptions. The ex-voto, as the accompanying inscription reveals, was donated to the Sanctuary in the 9th century BC by the King of the Gauls of the Alps, Cutius. It was a token of gratitude after his deafness was miraculously cured.A window is to the left of the ex-voto that we just stopped at. Our next point of interest is on the left of that window. Look for the marble inscription of the treaty between the Corinth, the Epidaurus, and the Megara, which was discovered in 1866. The contracting parties were Epidaurus and Corinth – and the arbitration determined their shared borders with Megara, a city-state east of Corinth. The border had been called into question between 242 and 237 BC. The text describes the decision taken by an embassy of 151 judges from Megara regarding the demarcation of the borders of Epidaurus and Corinth. The judges visited the site and decided in favor of Epidaurus. But the Corinthians seem to have objected at some point. Because of this, a second smaller group of 31 judges, drawn from the previous 151, revisited the area and removed the borders more clearly.
Stop 4 - The First room: Left-hand side
Now, move across the room to the other side. Look at the middle of the left section of the room – you will spot another marble inscription, detailing the building’s construction expenses. This large stele bears an inscription dating back to 370 BC. Amazingly, it refers to expenses relating to constructing the temple of Asclepius inside the Sanctuary of Epidaurus. The inscription mentions how the work was undertaken in stages. One craftsman had undertaken the cutting of the stones and another their transport to the Sanctuary, etc. In ancient times, craftsmen guaranteed the excellent execution of their work. Interestingly, this did not apply in the case of Epidaurus’ Sanctuary. Texts detailing the sanctuary’s building expenses have been saved in significant numbers. How wonderful!Now, take a look at the wooden display case that’s placed in this room. It’s filled with medical instruments. Among them, there are several copper forceps. These were used in various medical operations. They were usually made of copper, brass or iron and are characterized by technical perfection and an ergonomic shape. Generally, this variety and number of different medical tools reveal how the “art” of medicine in the Sanctuary evolved over the centuries. It’s fascinating how similar they look to modern surgical tools. It’s also amazing how little their design has changed over the centuries, right? But despite their daily use, a great deal of care and special emphasis was placed on the casting techniques of the tools and the decoration of their handles. These were often embossed or engraved with designs during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Hooks, needles, catheters, drills, scalpels, and scissors are some of the many ancient tools that have survived today.A few steps below, you will see a display case on your right hand. To the right of this display case, you will spot the door to the museum's main hall. Wait! Before going through this door, glance to the left. Our next point of interest is between the display case and the main hall entrance to the museum. It's an inscription with the sacrificial holy law.The ancient Greeks usually sacrificed animals, like oxen, sheep and goats. But the type of animal sacrifices varied, depending on which god the offering was for. How the sacrifice was performed also differed, depending on the god. If the animal was sacrificed in honour of a heavenly deity, the meat was roasted and, after offering the god the amount of meat considered appropriate, the faithful then consumed the rest in a communal meal. But the animal was completely burned if the sacrifice was intended for a god of the underworld or a hero. As well as animal sacrifices, the gods also accepted fruits, liquids like milk and wine, and incense.
Stop 5 - The Main hall
With the Sacrificial Law inscription in front of you, you should also find yourself in front of the entrance to the museum's main hall. The central hall holds a collection of sculptural votives – mainly from late antiquity.On the corner right-hand side, you can see the statue of a Roman official. This headless statue was found in the 1882 excavations and represents a Roman official, wearing a formal dress. By the end of the 1st century BC, the Roman state had conquered most of the Mediterranean area. A period of peace, economic progress and prosperity followed – helping to strengthen the cohesion between the people of the empire. People, goods, and ideas circulated freely in this newly expanded Roman world. The various national cultures merged, and a universal culture with Greco-Roman characteristics emerged.Step forward in the middle of the room and look at the Asclepius statue wearing a himation. This statue of Asclepius, wearing a robe and resting on a walking cane, dates back to the 5th and the 4th centuries BC. This statue belongs to the wider collection of Hellenistic and Roman Asclepius statues and was found during the excavations at the Sanctuary of Epidaurus. Just imagine unearthing something like this! It’s an example of the variety of sculptural votives that once adorned the Sanctuary. Most votive statues represent Asclepius or members of his family – with an emphasis on the goddess Hygeia, and the goddess Aphrodite. Hygeia was worshipped as the daughter of Asclepius. Whilst her father was associated with curing diseases, she prevented them and managed to maintain good health.Straight ahead, you will find a plaster cast of a headless statue of Hygeia. Can you spot the depiction of a snake on the composite plinth? It’s believed to be the work of the sculptor Timotheus of the 4th century BC and was found during an excavation in 1884. In ancient Greece, Hygeia was the deity who personified the health of body and soul. Sculptors and painters in the 5th century BC often depicted the goddess Hygeia as a young woman. It was later that they chose the snake as a symbol – often associated with Asclepius. In ancient Athens, Hygeia was initially linked to the goddess Athens. As well as being the goddess of wisdom, Athena was also worshipped as a healing deity. The main Athens healing centers were in Acropolis, Kerameikos, Acharnes and Oropos. You can still see the statues of Hygeia in famous museums, like the National Archaeological Museum of Athens and the Museum of Dion in Macedonia.
Stop 6 - The Third room
Now, carry on until you reach the next door, which will lead you to the third hall of the museum, where the fragments of the temple decoration of Asclepius and Artemis are exhibited. The temple of Artemis was the second most important temple in the Sanctuary of Epidaurus after the temple of Asclepius. The superstructure of the temple has been restored in the museum. And what a treat it is to be able to get such a vivid feel for this monumental building, dating back to the 4th century BC. The temple had a Doric colonnade, an architrave, metopes triglyphs and a cornice with pediments and drops. The gutter that crowns the building, contrary to the usual lion’s head, bears the heads of a dog and a wild boar. It’s made of white tufa, while the craftsmen covered its surface with white or colored mortar to resemble marble. It’s uncertain whether the gables carried sculptures. But, three statues of Victory, which were the acroterion of the temple, have been saved. Just wonderful!
Stop 7 - Katagogion
Make your way to the museum exit and turn left once you are outside. Make your way up the paved steps in front of you, and you will notice some archaeological ruins on your left side. Now, you are entering the archaeological site of Epidaurus, carry on until you stand in front of an information board in the middle of the ruins. Ladies and gentlemen, here it is, Katagogion.Although quite a way from the main part of the Sanctuary, from the 4th century BC, the Katagogion was the largest building of the complex. It was used as a guest house for the Sanctuary and was internally divided into four smaller squares of equal size. Each block had its own peristyle inner central courtyard with Doric columns. About 160 rooms of various sizes on two floors, arranged around each courtyard. Visitors entered the building from the east and west sides, from separate entrances for each block.So, imagine you are sick and desperately waiting for a miracle from Asclepius. The queue is long, and you must spend several nights in the Sanctuary until the god hears your prayers and appears to you. So, where are you going to stay? The Katagogion, of course! Although you wouldn’t have been able to book in advance, it was big enough to accommodate a crowd of pilgrims. Modest but clean, it provided free accommodation to a limited number of foreigners. Perfect! Initially, a straw mattress would have been enough for visitors. But beds, tables and night lamps were later added.
Stop 8 - Tholos
Continue ahead and find the information board named “Building E”. Turn left and make your way to a crossroads, up ahead. Turn left again and keep walking. There should be a circular building in front of you. If you are wondering what the largest and most perfect circular structure of ancient Greek architecture was, here it is! The tholos or Thymel of the Asclepius of Epidaurus!Stand just in front of it and admire its majestic appearance. You are now looking at an absolute architectural masterpiece. The tholos was built between 365 and 335 BC, probably by Polykleitos the Younger from Argos. It was likely constructed immediately after the construction of the temple of Asclepius, which we will visit at the next stop. The circular building has a diameter of 21.50 meters and has a tripartite design. Three concentric circles formed the superstructure. It’s mesmerizing, isn’t it? The Doric and Corinthian colonnade supported a ceiling with marble panels decorated with plants. A large wooden conical structure roofed the building; at its top, there would have been an ornate cape of vegetation.This was a true labyrinth. Externally, there were 26 Doric columns surrounding the nave. The inside of the nave was adorned with a second circular colonnade with 14 marble Corinthian columns. Impressive! The floor inside the Corinthian colonnade formed a unique geometric pattern of white and black rhomboid plates. Beneath the floor was a three-part subterranean labyrinth. Anyone who entered had to follow a meandering path with circular corridors linked to each other with openings or barriers blocking the way. Sadly, the building suffered major damage from a significant earthquake in the 6th century AD, leaving it in ruins.
Stop 9 - Abaton
You will meet the next point of interest 5-6 steps ahead of Tholos: Abaton. Ready?The Abaton, designed by architect Perillos, was an oblong building more than 70 meters long near the Tholos and the temple of Asclepius. It was built in two phases, at the beginning and the end of the 4th century BC. The initial 4th century BC building had a holy well in its single-storey stoa – water was an essential element in healing. In the late 4th century BC, the single-storey portico was extended west into a two-storied entrance, taking advantage of the grounds’ significant height difference.Usually, patients didn’t suffer from serious diseases, otherwise they would not have survived the arduous journey to the Sanctuary. However, they suffered from chronic diseases, like skin or eye infections, rheumatic problems, or mental illnesses. Many women visited the Sanctuary with fertility issues. It was deemed necessary to prepare the patient first medically and religiously, through sacrifices and rituals, to gain the favor of the god. That way he would be happy to heal the sick.Hypnosis was the most common method of treatment. It was a healing practice where the patient, with the help of priests, sought healing through a dream or vision from Asclepius or his divine intervention after a patient’s communication with the god. It was the last stage of physical and mental purification. Pilgrims seeking healing came to healing shrines as supplicants. Treatment happened away from prying eyes: A patient was purified with water from the “holy well”. They would sleep in the Abaton. There, the soul would be released from the body to communicate in a dream with the god. The god or his sacred animals might appear in the vision and perform the miracle, and in the morning, the sick person would wake up cured.It comes as no surprise that the beggars were often under the influence of substances.
Stop 10 - The temple of Asclepius
Leaving behind the Abaton, make your way along the trail until you reach another crossroads. Pause at the information board named “The Temple of Asclepius”. You are standing at the heart of the Sanctuary.The temple of Asclepius was built by an architect named Theodotus between 380 and 370 BC and is 13.2 x 24.3 meters. It has 6 Doric columns on the narrow sides and 11 on the long sides. At the entrance of the pronaos there were 2 additional Doric columns. A platform on the east side allowed easy access to the building. The faithful entered the nave from the pronaos through a large wooden door decorated with ivory. I golden ivory statue of the god was kept in the nave. The foundation was limestone, while poristone was used for all the other parts – all covered with white mortar. Finally, white and black limestone was used for the floors, and Pentelic marble was used for the sculptural decoration of the roof.The ancient Greeks only used the temple as a residence for the statue of the god to whom it was dedicated. Worship and any ceremony always took place outside the temple area, where the altar for the sacrifices was also located.Any believer would have stood in total awe at seeing the chryselephantine statue of Asclepius inside his temple in the Sanctuary of Epidaurus. Thanks to the description of the traveller Pausanias, the coins of the city of Epidaurus, and 2 surviving marble reliefs, we know exactly what the statue looked like, even though it didn’t survive. It was immense in size, and the god was depicted seated on a throne, holding a cane and touching a snake with the other. A dog lay beside him. He had a long beard and exuded kindness and calmness. In fact, it was very reminiscent of the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the work of the famous sculptor Pheidias.
Stop 11 - Ancient Theatre - Scene
Our next stop is the Theatre, therefore we will need to move back to where we started. Reaching the museum, you leave it behind you on your right and go forward until you get a small car park. Climb up the middle one until you reach the theatre’s lower level.The theatre is lying in ruins in front of you, but still showing its former glory. Built with porolith around 340-330 BC, it was used right up until the 3rd century AD. It had three areas, the proscenion, a two-storey scene and the parascenion. To paint a clearer picture, the proscenion is similar to today’s stage, and the two-storey scene and parascenion are like today’s dressing rooms. Five doors allowed access between the Scene and Logeion, where the speakers stood. The scene’s façade, decorated with many sculptures, faced the spectators. Sadly, only a few pieces have been excavated.During performances, portable paintings were placed between pillars as sets and backdrops- cleverly depicting the scenery for whatever drama was being performed. These sets, which were initially in the proscenium, were later moved to the 1st floor of the stage.Early ancient Greek theaters were actually just circular outdoor spaces, where the worshippers of the god Dionysus danced and sang in honour of the god. Spectators stood, watching around the perimeter. But from the 5th century BC, when the worship of Dionysus was established and was accompanied by theatrical performances, the rough outdoor space gave way to a much more organized building. Traditionally, in the centre of an ancient theatre, there was a paved circular space for the dancers and actors called the orchestra. Right in the centre of the orchestra was the Thymeli (Tholos), the altar for the god Dionysus.
Stop 12 - Ancient Theatre – Orchestra
Looking at the scene of the theater, turn right and then head straight ahead. Make your way around the scene until you reach the main double gate. Enter and carry on to the round orchestra in front of youDoesn’t this theater exude such a harmonious feeling? It’s all down to its unique design. And it’s so clever. It’s based on a regular pentagon. The orchestra is an absolutely perfect circle 20.3 meters in diameter. In the centre is the thyme – the altar dedicated to the god Dionysus. Today, only its base has survived. The floor of the orchestra was filled with soil, and the surrounding circular stone ring measures 48 cm wide. Around the perimeter of the orchestra, there were two storm drains. It’s a truly remarkable space, isn’t it?All the theatres in Greece had to use some part of the orchestra to build the Logeion. That’s why most orchestras stopped being a full circle after the 2nd century BC. But, to add to its list of marvels, the Theater in Epidaurus is the only exception. No wonder it’s widely regarded as the most perfect and famous theater in all of Greece.Every summer, since 1954, famous Greek and other artists have performed original ancient dramas right here, in the Theater of Epidaurus. The retelling of fabulous stories, back where they belong. When the time comes to switch from winter to summer wardrobe, the time has also come for Athenians to ask, “What are we seeing at the Herodeion this year?” It is widespread for people to arrange their holidays around the shows offered by the Athens Epidaurus Festival at the ancient theatre. So, if you are in Athens in July or August, this is a unique experience. Don’t miss it!
Stop 13 - Ancient Theatre – Acoustic
Climb the stairs in the middle to reach the highest point of the theatre. Turn around. Wow. Just look at that staggering view! Just imagine acoustics! This is the last stop on our tour. What better place to sit while you savour the final stories?The Theater of Epidaurus is widely regarded as the perfect theatre building and a unique artistic achievement. It manages to blend with the enchanting natural landscape that surrounds it perfectly. But it really stands out for its excellent acoustics. This all comes down to its staggering architecture and impressively designed overall structure. And just so you know, even the slightest whisper in the center of the orchestra can be heard clearly in the farthest benches of the upper zone. Today’s scientists can confirm that this space really does offer the absolute best acoustics – the clarity for spectators is utterly remarkable. It was built to host musical and dramatic competitions and to worship Asclepius. Amazingly, it didn’t undergo any form of conversion during Roman times – remaining unaltered until the 5th century AD.So, what was a day like at the theatre in ancient Greece? Well, theatrical performances were always given in daylight, and that is why the spectators gathered early, to get the best seats. Spectators in the big theaters were usually in a hurry, so as not to be delayed by the flooding crowds. Usually, there would be more than one play, so it was normal for the spectators to get pretty tired. While waiting, distracted spectators often began chatting with one another – causing some to leave the theatre early. So, poets always made sure that the opening scenes grabbed the audience’s attention. In fact, if some spectators left the theater between performances, it would have been a nightmare when it came to resecuring their seats.
Stop 14 - The End
Our journey comes to an end. Before saying goodbye, I want to share some final thoughts. A lot has been said and written about the supreme form of art of ancient Greek theatre over the centuries, but one thing is for sure: ancient drama touches your soul, teaching you invaluable lessons for human nature. So, if you consider yourself a theatre lover, visiting the ancient theatre of Epidaurus isn’t optional; it’s mandatory for your cultural health. A treat for both body and soul. I hope you enjoyed your time with me! If you are up for even more sightseeing, visit our website at www.keytours.gr, choose from plenty of guided tours covering great sites of Greek history, and with the promo code KEYAUDIO, save 10% off your booking. Goodbye!
