Zeii medicinei în coloniile milesiene de la Pontul Euxin: cult și reprezentare iconografică

Abstract

Our study focuses on the cult of the gods of medicine (Asclepios, Hygieia and Telesphoros) and their iconographic representations in the Milesian settlements on the shores of the Pontus Euxinus. Our research is based on the study of epigraphic, literary, numismatic and archaeological documents (altars, votive bas-reliefs, monumental statues, statuettes). The gods of medicine are worshipped with specific epicleses which are found in the Greek cultic space. At an early stage, during the 4th century BC, the cult of Asclepius was introduced into the pantheons of Olbia and Panticapaion. In a second stage, from the 3rd century BC onwards, the cult of the gods of medicine became widespread in Thrace, Lower Moesia, and on the southern and western shores of the Pontus Euxinus, especially after Thrace became a Roman province (46 AD). Most of the evidence for the cults of Asclepius and Hygieia found in the Milesian settlements on the southern shore of the Pontus Euxinus dates from Roman times. The iconographic representations of the gods of medicine are characterised by extraordinary uniformity and faithfully reproduce Greek iconographic types.

Keywords

• cult
• asclepios
• hygieia
• telesphoros
• pontus euxinus