EPIDAURUS, the name of two ancient cities of southern Greece.
I. Epidaurus the Holy, a maritime city on the eastern coast of Argolis, on a rocky peninsula with a natural harbour on the north ern side and an open bay on the southern. Its narrow but fertile plain is shut in except towards the sea by mountains, of which the most notable were Arachnaeon and Titthion. The conterminous states were Corinth, Argos, Troezen and Hermione. The com mercial advantages of its position, and the fame of its temple of Asclepius made Epidaurus a place of some importance. It was occupied by a Carian colony, by Ionians and by Phlegyans from Thessaly. The Ionians were conquered by Dorians of Argos led by Deiphontes; and the city preserved its Dorian character. It colonized neighbouring islands, founded Aegina and took part with Argos and Troezen in settlements in Asia Minor. The monarchical government gave way to oligarchy, and oligarchy to a despotism. When Procles the tyrant was captured by Periander of Corinth, oligarchy was restored, and Epidaurus continued a close ally of Sparta. The governing body of 18o was chosen from certain influ ential families, and the executive was a committee of artynae (from aprbvecv, to manage). The rural population, who had no share in the affairs of the city, were called Ko147 05ee ("dusty feet"). The site of a temple of Hera is identified with the chapel of St. Nicolas; portions of the walls can be traced; and the name is preserved by the little village of Nea-Epidavros.
The Hieron (sacred precinct) of Asclepius, about 8 m. inland from the town, has been excavated by the Greek Archaeological Society. In addition to the sacred precinct, with its temples and other buildings, the theatre and stadium have been cleared; and baths, gymnasia and a hospital have been found. The sacred road from Epidaurus, flanked by tombs, approaches through a gate way. The chief buildings are grouped together, and include temples of Asclepius and Artemis, the Tholos, and the Abaton (portico), where the patients slept. Architecture and sculpture are of high merit, and inscriptions record cures attributed to the god.
The temple of Asclepius, which contained the gold and ivory statue by Thrasymedes of Paros, had six columns at the ends and eleven at the sides ; it was approached by a ramp at the eastern front. An inscription records contracts for building this temple about 46o B.C. The sculptor Timotheus (who collaborated in the Mausoleum) undertook to make the acroteria, Nereids mounted on sea-horses, on the pediments, and models for the sculpture, some of which has been found. The great altar lay to the south of the temple, and beyond it a small temple of Artemis and a square Roman building. The Tholos, to the south-west of the temple of Asclepius, must have been one of the most beautiful buildings in Greece ; the exquisite carving is only equalled by that of the Erechtheum at Athens. It consisted of a circular chamber, with Doric colonnade outside and Corinthian within : the architect was Polyclitus, probably the younger sculptor of that name. In contracts for its building it is called the Thymele; it was prob ably the idealized architectural representative of a primitive pit of sacrifice, such as may still be seen in the Asclepianum at Athens. The foundations consist of a series of concentric walls with doors and partitions that make a subterranean labyrinth. There is no evidence of a well or spring. North of the Tholos is the long portico described in inscriptions as the Abaton ; on two different levels, the lower of which had two storeys. Here the invalids used to sleep when consulting the god, and the inscriptions record not only the method of consulting the god, but the manner of his cures. The patient sleeps in the Abaton, sees certain visions, and comes forth cured. There are some surgical cases, and many ex amples resembling those at Lourdes or Tenos, where hysterical or other similar affections are cured by the influence of imagi nation or sudden emotion. It is, however, difficult to make scien tific use of the records. Some are contemporary dedications; but others are long lists of cases, compiled by the priests from dedica tions or tradition. In later times the old faith-healing lost its efficacy and the priests substituted elaborate prescriptions as to diet, baths and regimen which must have made Epidaurus re semble a modern spa. Extensive buildings were provided for the accommodation of invalids (one by Antoninus Pius), great court yards surrounded by colonnades and chambers. A large gym nasium was in later times converted to other purposes, a small odeum being built in the middle. In the stadium, the seats and goal are well preserved. A gutter surrounds the running ground, with basins at intervals, and a post at every hundred feet of the course. The goal resembles that at Olympia; a stone sill sunk level with the ground, with parallel grooves for the feet of the runners at starting, and sockets for posts that separated the competitors.
The theatre, as Pausanias says, is the most beautiful in Greece, almost every seat being still in situ; the complete circle of the orchestra is marked by a sill of white limestone. There are benches with backs not only in the bottom row, but above and below the diazoma. A speaker in the orchestra is heard through out the auditorium without raising his voice. The stage buildings are not preserved much above their foundations, and show signs of later repairs; a long rectangular building has a column front almost at a tangent to the circle of the orchestra; at the middle and at either end are doors leading into the orchestra wings; the top of this proscenium is approached by a ramp running parallel to the parodi, but sloping up as they slope down. The proscenium was originally about 14 ft. high and 12 ft. broad, corresponding approximately to the Greek stage as described by Vitruvius.
See Pausanias i. 29; Expedition de la Moree, ii.; Curtius, Pelopon nesus, ii.; Transactions of Roy. Soc. of Lit., znd series, vol. ii.; Weclawski, De rebus Epidauriorum (Posen, 1854) • The excavations have been recorded in the IIpaertha of the Greek Archaeological Society, especially i881-84 and 1889, and in 'Ect.rpeps 'ApxatoXoyuii, especially 1883 and 1885 ; see also Kavvadias, Les Fouilles d'Epidaure and To `Iepov rov'AQKXflirwi P 'E7rt&aUpa i Oepa 7rema TivP o,eOevwv; Defrasse and Lechat, Epidaure.