The Castle of the Knights of Saint John on Kos is the most impressive remains of a fortress we have visited. It was constructed with local stone and the remains of previous buildings most notably the Asklepion several kilometers away. It still shows a number of blazons on the masonry, many columns, bases and architraves from the ruins of the old city. It was built during the occupation of the Knights, which lasted for over two hundred years.

This fortress of architecture and constructional engineering amazes one by the sight of a stone bridge that used to link that area of Kos – which used to be an island with the main land. Today it is called “Phoinikon”, which means palm trees.

Another remarkable feature is the fact that the entrance to the fortress is at the location of the Hippocrates Plane Tree.

The famous plane tree of Hippocrates stands in front of the Castle of the Knights, at the centre of Kos town. It is a huge tree, with a perimeter of twelve meters, which is considered to be the largest in Europe. The inhabitants claim that it was planted by Hippocrates, the greatest doctor in antiquity, who used to teach under its shade. According to tradition, the Apostle Paul also taught there. On this site, cultural festivals are held each summer.

Hippocrates, Father of Modern Medicine

The principles of Hippocratic Medicine became the foundation of monastic medicine throughout the midddle ages as practiced by the physicians and surgeons of the Knights Hospitaller.

Hygeia, the goddess of health (from where the word hygiene originates from) who was the daughter of Asklepieios and is depicted offering an egg to the snake she is holding.

From the first day that humans appeared on this planet, medicine has existed in the form of religious medicine. Religion and medicine, priest and doctor worked towards the same end: the defense of the individual against evil forces. Ancient Greece, during the pre-Hippocratic period, was the time of priestly Asklepion Medicine.

Asklepios was a real physician who lived in Greece around 1200 BC, and through time, myth and legend, he became the Greek God of healing. This was an era when the use of herbal therapies was passed on from one generation to another as part of an oral tradition.

Asklepios was the first to record the herb, the dose, and the condition treated, as well as the final outcome. This made him the first to apply an empirical methodology to medicine. His following grew and flourished for a thousand years as patients were brought to temples of healing that followed his paradigm.

The influence of Asklepios was far reaching. Hippocrates and Galen both studied in the Asklepions where the transformation from magic to the birthing of real science continued to grow for over two centuries. According to legend, when Galen was sixteen, his father was visited by Asklepios in a dream. Galen was told that his son should study medicine, at which time, Galen enrolled at the school attached to the Asklepion at Pergamam.

The Asklepion movement reached itʼs peak in the 4th century BC. Eventually, it was replaced by the teachings and admonitions of Hippocrates, circa 400 BC, who developed a rational medical system.

Rod of Asklepios

It wasnʼt until the end of the ancient world, and the rise of Christianity in the first and second centuries AD, that the Asklepion movement began to loose itʼs human appeal. Until that time, nearly every Greek city had itʼs own Asklepion. The worshipping and healing centers were built by the faithful to be their sanctuaries throughout the ancient world. The most renowned of these Asklepions were at Trikki, Epidaure, Titani, Athens, and Kos Island. Asklepions were normally located in parklands or groves, creating a clean and tranquil environment for those pursuing their health needs. These temples were the healthcare centers of their day. Apart from the healing ministries, Asklepios was additionally honored by athletic contests, musical and theatrical performances given in stadiums and theaters.

The lore and teachings of Asklepios represent an important paradigm shift in medicine that greatly influenced its successor movement - Hippocratic medicine. The legendary doctor, Hippocrates, began his career as an Asklepiad on the Island of Kos. The original Hippocratic oath begins with the invocation: “I swear by Apollo - the Physician, by Asklepios, and by Hygieia and Panacea, and by all the Gods.”