Archaic building found at Asclepeion Sanctuary in Ancient Epidaurus

A new building found at Epidaurus’ Asclepeion area, which was dedicated to Asklepios, gives new insight into the famous sanctuary, mainly concerning the early years of its creation. The newly-uncovered building is a structure from the archaic era, whose function is currently unknown. It was built on a site adjacent to where the Tholos, or dome, the most iconic building of the Asclepeion, is situated.

The building, rectangular in plan, had a basement space corresponding to the ground floor, with mosaics placed in a peristyle form. According to the information gleaned so far from the excavation, which is still in progress, the building dates back to around the year 600 BC.

University of Athens Professor Vassilis Lamprinoudakis, head of the excavations in ancient Epidaurus, explained to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency:

"This means the worship of Asclepius appears to have begun earlier in the Asclepeion of Epidaurus. Until now, it was believed to have begun around 550 BC, i.e., in the middle of the sixth century BC. Now it is evident that the structures are earlier, and this is particularly important for the history of the sanctuary and for the history of Asclepius himself. At the place where the Tholos was later built, a part of a building, a ‘double’ building, with basement and ground floor has been found. 

"Since there is a basement, like in the Tholos, we consider it to be a forerunner of this ‘mysterious’ building called the Tholos. When it was decided to build the Tholos, this building was demolished. The empty space created by its basement was filled with relics from the old building, but also from other parts of the sanctuary. That is because (when) the great program of the 4th century BC began, some other buildings were also demolished, the material of which was buried with respect in the place."

The archaeologist explained that the name Tholos "was only given to the structure by the ancient traveler Pausanias in the second century AD. Its original name, as we know from the inscriptions of the 4th century BC, was ‘Thymeli.’ Thymeli was a kind of altar (used in sacrifice), in which offerings were made without blood." Lamprinoudakis continued, saying:

"Research tells us that the Tholos was a kind of underground house of Asclepius, where patients were treated by injection. The patient who slept in this special place would dream of the God Asklepios to reveal to him the cure for his illness. This former building had a function similar to that of the Tholos, that is, its basement served as the seat of Asclepius on earth. The new building, however, also gives important clues to the topography of the sanctuary. It explains the orientation of some other constructions that follow."

The archaeological dig at the sanctuary of Asclepius of Epidaurus, which has been carried out by the Department of History and Archeology of the University of Athens since 2016, continues today. The excavations, carried out with the support of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Argolis, were funded by the organization “Asclipiades” in 2016-2017 and by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in the years 2018-2019.