< Asclepius, son of Ischys >

1 Origins

In 1263 BC, Asclepius (or Aesculapius) was born near the Lethaeus River in Tricca of Thessaly.

Asclepius's father was Ischys.

Asclepius's mother was Coronis.

2 Family

Asclepius had two wives, Coronis and Epione.

Coronis's father, Eilatidas, lived in Gyrton.

Asclepius had two sons, Machaon and Podalirus.

Machaon and Podalirus were about 20 years apart in age, so they are probably half-brothers.

Asclepius also had daughters, Panakeia (or Panacia), Hygeia, Aigle, Akeso, and Iaso.

3 Others

3.1 Real name

The 12th century AD rhetorician Tzetzes reports that Asclepius's real name was Hepius (or Epios).

Tzetzes writes that Hepius was called Asclepius after he cured the eye disease of Ascles, the tyrant of Epidaurus. Homer, who likes to use old place names, also uses Asclepius, so Tzetzes's theory seems to be a pun.

3.2 Medicine

It was Apis from Egypt who brought medicine to Greece.

Apis accompanied Acrisius of Argos from Egypt to Nauplia near Argos.

The wife of Amyclas, the brother of Acrisius's wife Eurydice, was Diomede, the daughter of Lapithus, the founder of the Lapiths.

It is presumed that the medicine that was introduced from Egypt was passed on from Apis to the Lapiths.

Asclepius, a member of the Lapiths, further developed the medicine.

3.3 The Epidaurus Birth Theory

There is a legend that Asclepius was born in Epidaurus of Argolis.

The background of the origin of this legend is thought to be related to the following:

1) The mother of Asclepius's grandfather Phlegyas was from Epidaurus.

2) There is a tholos in Epidaurus that is thought to be the tomb of Asclepius.

3) Three sons of Machaon, son of Asclepius, practiced medicine in Argolis.