From Religion to Medicine: The Evolution of American Scholarly Perspectives on the Cult of the Ancient Greek God of Healing

doi:10.26565/2220-7929-2025-67-10

Liudmyla Ponomarenko Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian State University https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1359-303X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2220-7929-2025-67-10

Keywords: cult of Asclepius, American scholarship, history of medicine, antiquity, late Roman period, Roman provinces

Abstract

The paper analyzes the development of the American historiography of the cult of Asclepius from 1945 to the present. It explores the contribution of American scholars to the study of the religious aspect of the cult and their engagement with its multifaceted nature as a social, religious, and medical phenomenon of the ancient world. The paper outlines the evolution of methodological perspectives, including the shift from the text-centered studies by E. Edelstein and L. Edelstein to interdisciplinary methods introduced by B. Wickiser and G. Renberg. The author considers the innovative approaches to the integration of archaeological, epigraphic, and textual sources that enabled a more comprehensive understanding of the cult. Considerable attention is given to studies of the cult’s political and social dimensions, interaction with early Christianity, and the role of ritual in forming individual and collective identity. Analyses of the incubation ritual, votive sacrifices, and the cult’s adaptation to socio-cultural change are also examined. Researchers stressed the cult’s role in societal recovery after crises, in strengthening social cohesion, restoring civic identity, and ensuring spiritual balance in ancient communities. The paper further discusses research on the cult’s interaction with other religions, particularly early Christianity, and analyzes how this competition influenced the shaping of religious identity and cultural heritage. Religious rituals are emphasized as crucial to political stability, social cohesion, and maintaining continuity in the face of evolving societal dynamics and cultural challenges. The study advances our understanding of ancient religion, the significance of the cult of Asclepius, and the global contribution of American historiography. It opens new perspectives for interdisciplinary research on political, socio-cultural, and religious factors influencing the cult’s formation, development, and enduring relevance in diverse historical contexts.

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