copy of an older text). A ‘‘bath attendant’’ (balaneus) existed in the sanctuary of
Asclepius on Aegina (IGiv^2 1 no. 126, AD 160), and Aelian (Nature of Animals
9.33) refers tozakoroi, who instructed the patients during incubation. The parallel in
the incubation scene of Aristophanes’Wealthis thepropolos, possibly an official title.
Thepyrphoros(‘‘fire-bearer’’) in the Epidaurian miracle text presented above may also
be descriptive rather than an official title. By analogy we would expect to have found
individuals attending to the cult statue and other parts of the temple that were
decorated, and, from time to time, groups of workmen engaged in the repair or
embellishment of sacred buildings. From the point of view of all these individuals and
groups a ‘‘sacred journal’’ would have been indispensable.
Sanctuary and Polis
Having explored the daily life of a (healing) sanctuary in its physical context, from the
perspective of the worshiper and the perspective of those employed in its service, it
remains to ask about the role of the polis in all this. Civic institutions were largely
responsible in creating the framework for everything discussed so far. In many cases
cities appointed boards of officials who were in charge of the religious affairs of the
city and not spatially and institutionally attached to one particular sanctuary. Often
these were financial functionaries (tamiai,hierotamiai,prostatai), which reflects the
special civic interest in control over the financial affairs of sanctuaries. On Euboea, the
Eretrians appointed hieropoioi, who oversaw the processions of boys and girls in
honor of Asclepius and were also responsible for inscribing their names in the god’s
sanctuary (LSCG93 lines 10–15; fourth or third century BC). However, a polis was
also a ‘‘consumer’’ of religious life. Worshipers at Erythrae (IErythrai205, 380–360
BC) were reminded that, when the polis offered preliminary sacrifices to Asclepius,
these were offered on behalf of all and that no private person was to offer preliminary
sacrifices during a festival but otherwise to act according to the parameters stated in
the cult regulation. Although we see the distinction between special days and the rest
of the year (en te ̄i heorte ̄i – ana de ton allon chronon), between the ritual experience of
a group as a whole and of individual worshipers, private and public aspects of the cult
were smoothly integrated. In 138/7 BC the Athenians honored a priest of Asclepius
and Hygieia for his admirable performance during his term of office (IGii^2 974).The
list of tasks starts from the initial sacrifices of the year and then continues with the
priest’s role at the festivals of Asclepius, sacrifices on behalf of the community and his
reporting on the positive outcome of these. Although what follows is fragmentary,
there is no doubt that the text increasingly moves on to ‘‘daily matters.’’ We learn
that the priest appointed his son as key bearer (kleidouchos), that he provided a chorus
for the god, and there is reference to ‘‘services held every day.’’ The order in which
praises are given may be less ‘‘meaningful’’ than one might think. As festivals
provided an exceptional opportunity for priests to illustrate their efforts on behalf
of the community as a whole, these received special attention.
The activities and worship of individuals were therefore an important aspect of
public religion and did not stand in any opposition to it. With regard to a different
‘‘dichotomy,’’ it is remarkable that many sanctuaries of Asclepius originated as private
foundations and were transformed into important public cults. It is not easy to
A Day in the Life of a Greek Sanctuary 175