Asclepius, the Greek God of Healing

Asclepius was the personification of the ideal doctor. He was the god of healing and medicine and posessed also the power to raise dead people

Asclepius was the son of the Olympian god Apollo and the beautiful mortal Coronis and one of the youngest gods in Greek Mythology. His wife was Epione, the goddess of soothing, with whom Asclepius gave birth to many children, among them Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health.

Asclepius was the personification of the ideal physician. His attributes were the snake and the staff.

The wise Centaur Chiron helped him acquire a great skill in medicine, alleviating mortals from their pains.

According to the legend, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, decided to give Asclepius the blood of the monster Medusa and with this blood Asclepius discovered a way to resurrect people.

When Zeus, the King of the gods, found out about the great power of Asclepius, he started worrying that Asclepius would soon be able to rule the world. He therefore threw a thunderbolt at the hero and transformed him into a constellation.

The constellation of Asclepius received the name Ophiuchus ("the serpent carrier"). Some people believe it to be "the 13th sign of the zodiac"!