Editing Asclepieion (section)

== Asclepius and his cult ==
[[File:Asclepius - Project Gutenberg eText 21325.png|thumb|Asclepius holding the staff with a snake wrapped around it that serves as the inspiration for the [[Rod of Asclepius|symbol of medicine]]. ]]

In Greek mythology and religion, [[Asclepius]] was the god of medicine – son of the god [[Apollo]] and mortal [[Coronis (mythology)|Coronis]]. His name was said to mean "cut open".<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Asklepios.html|title = ASCLEPIUS: Greek God of Medicine & Doctors {{!}} Mythology|website = theoi.com|last = Atsma|first = Aaron}}</ref>{{dubious|date=December 2015}} It is said that he was so named as a result of his mother's childbirth experience, during which time her womb had to be cut open in order for Asclepius to be born (now known as a [[cesarean section]]). In [[Homer]]'s ''Iliad'', Asclepius was a man, a physician to soldiers wounded on the battlefield at Troy. But by [[Hippocrates]]' day, he had become elevated to the status of a god.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.greekmedicine.net/mythology/asclepius.html|title = Greek Mythology: Asclepius}}</ref>

Asclepius’ father Apollo was himself a patron god of medicine. It was through Apollo that [[Chiron]], the wise and peaceful centaur, learned the art of healing. Under Apollo's mentorship, Chiron grew in his craft so much so that Apollo himself entrusted Chiron to train his son, Asclepius.<ref name="Kanellou" /> Through his studies, Asclepius became so deft at medicine, especially the art of surgery, that he was able to return the living from the dead. His abilities quickly drew attention and jealousy from the other gods. As one story goes, Asclepius was killed by Zeus at the request of Hades, the god of the underworld, who feared Asclepius was stealing souls away from him.<ref name="Kanellou" /> Before his death, however, Asclepius had several children, including: [[Machaon (physician)|Machaon]], [[Podalirius]], [[Hygeia]], and [[Panacea]], who themselves were regarded as highly effective healers.<ref name="Kanellou" />

Starting around 350 BC, the cult of [[Asclepius]] became increasingly popular. He was admired for serving people despite their class and social status, which was not a common practice by [[Twelve Olympians|Olympians]].<ref name="Morris">{{cite journal |last1=Morris |first1=D.B. |title=Un-forgetting Asclepius: An Erotics of Illness |journal=New Literary History |date=2007 |volume=38 |issue=3 |pages=419–441|doi=10.1353/nlh.2007.0036 |s2cid=170262872 }}</ref>{{dubious|date=December 2022}} Doctors claiming to be the direct descendants of Asclepius referred to themselves as “Asclepiads.”<ref name="Kanellou" /> The symbol of [[Rod of Asclepius|a snake wrapped around a staff]], which is widely used by modern medical institutions, such as the [[American Medical Association]], is modelled on the staff that Asclepius carried.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Greek Medicine - Asclepius |url = https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/greek_asclepius.html|website = nlm.nih.gov| publisher= US National Library of Medicine| access-date = 2015-10-26}}</ref>