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Hygieia

January 01, 1970

For other uses, see Hygieia (disambiguation).

Hygieia is a goddess from Greek mythology (also referred to as: Hygiea or Hygeia; /haɪˈdʒiːə/;[1] Ancient Greek: Ὑγιεία or Ὑγεία, Latin: Hygēa or Hygīa). Hygieia is a goddess of health (Greek: ὑγίεια – hugieia[2]), cleanliness and hygiene. Her name is the source for the word "hygiene".

Hygieia
Goddess of good health, cleanliness, and sanitation
1st-century Roman statue of the goddess
AbodeMount Olympus
Personal information
ParentsAsclepius and Epione
SiblingsIaso, Panacea, Aceso, Aegle
Equivalents
Roman equivalentValetudo, Salus
Image of a marble statue depicting the lower portion of the goddess Hygieia while seated with a portion of a snake coiled atop the legs. Located in the Roman collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, inv: 03.12.11a Dates to the 1st or 2nd century, A.D.
Statue of Hygieia in Art Deco style in Kraków, Poland (1932)

Hygieia is related to the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, who is the son of the Olympian god Apollo. Hygieia is most commonly referred to as a daughter of Asclepius[3] and his wife Epione. Hygieia and her four sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: Hygieia (health, cleanliness, and sanitation); Panacea (universal remedy); Iaso (recuperation from illness); Aceso (the healing process); and Aegle (radiant good health).

The role of Hygieia in antiquity edit

One notable reference regarding Hygieia's role as a goddess of health can be found within the Hippocratic oath. This oath is used by physicians in order to swear before various healing gods, one of which being Hygieia, that they would follow a code of established ethical standards of practice.

Section of the translated oath from Greek to English:

I swear by Apollo Healer, by Asclepius, by Hygieia, by Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture.[4]

Hygieia and Asclepius edit

The worship of Hygieia was closely associated with the cult of Asclepius. While Asclepius was more directly associated with healing, Hygieia was associated with the prevention of sickness and the continuation of good health. In the second century CE, the famous traveler Pausanias provided an account based on what he witnessed within the state of Greece.[5] In his encyclopedic text Description of Greece, written circa 160 CE to 174 CE, Pausanias described encountering statues of Asclepius and Hygieia, located at Tegea.[6]

In addition to statues which represent the two figures, the incorporation of Hygieia within the cult of Asclepius can also be seen in medical iconography on numerous ancient Graeco-Roman coins. The close association between Hygieia and Asclepius indicates the important place she held in the cult of Asclepius.[7]

Worship edit

 
Hygieia by Alexander Handyside Ritchie, College of Physicians, Queen Street, Edinburgh

Hygieia's primary temples were in Epidaurus, Corinth, Cos and Pergamon. At the Asclepeion of Titane in Sicyon (founded by Alexanor, Asclepius' grandson), the Greek historian Pausanias remarked that a statue of Hygieia was covered by women's hair and pieces of Babylonian clothes.[8] According to inscriptions, similar sacrifices such as this were offered at Paros.[9]

Hygieia was also associated with the Greek goddess Athena. In the 2nd century AD, Pausanias noted statues both of Hygieia and of Athena Hygieia near the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens.[10] "Athena Hygieia" was one of the cult titles given to Athena, as Plutarch recounts of the building of the Parthenon (447–432 BC):

A strange accident happened in the course of building, which showed that the goddess was not averse to the work, but was aiding and co-operating to bring it to perfection. One of the artificers, the quickest and the handiest workman among them all, with a slip of his foot fell down from a great height, and lay in a miserable condition, the physicians having no hope of his recovery. When Pericles was in distress about this, the goddess [Athena] appeared to him at night in a dream, and ordered a course of treatment, which he applied, and in a short time and with great ease cured the man. And upon this occasion it was that he set up a brass statue of Athena Hygieia, in the citadel near the altar, which they say was there before. But it was Phidias who wrought the goddess's image in gold, and he has his name inscribed on the pedestal as the workman of it.[11]

 
"Hugieia" (ύγιεία: health) was used as a greeting among the Pythagoreans.[12]

However, the cult of Hygieia as an independent goddess did not begin to spread until the Delphic oracle recognized her, after the devastating Plague of Athens (430–427 BC), and in Rome after the 293 BC plague there.

The poet Ariphron, from the Greek city-state Sicyon, wrote a well-known hymn during the 4th century BC which celebrated Hygieia.[13] Statues of Hygieia were created by Scopas, Bryaxis and Timotheus, among others, but there is no clear description of what they looked like. In the surviving depictions, she is often shown as a young woman feeding a large snake that was wrapped around her body or drinking from a jar that she carried.[14] These attributes were later adopted by the Gallo-Roman healing goddess, Sirona.

Hygieia was modified by the Romans into the goddess Valetudo, the goddess of personal health. There exists some debate about whether Hygieia can also be identified with the Roman goddess of social welfare, Salus; however, this has yet to be fully substantiated.

Recent discoveries edit

In August 2021, archaeologists from Dumlupınar University announced the discovery of statue of Hygieia in the Ancient Greek city Aizanoi. The human sized statue was portrayed with a snake in its arms. The statue was revealed inside the columned gallery throughout the south wing of the agora.[15][16]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel; Roach, Peter, James Hartman and Jane Setter, eds. Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary. 17th edition. Cambridge UP, 2006.
  2. ^ ὑγίεια, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  3. ^ Norman, Naomi J. (1986). "Asklepios and Hygieia and the Cult Statue at Tegea". American Journal of Archaeology. 90 (4): 429. doi:10.2307/506027. ISSN 0002-9114.
  4. ^ Hippocrates of Cos (1923). "The Oath". Loeb Classical Library. 147: 298–299. doi:10.4159/dlcl.hippocrates_cos-oath.1923 – via Harvard University Press.
  5. ^ "Pausanias, Description of Greece, Arcadia, chapter 47". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  6. ^ Compton, M. T. (1 July 2002). "The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco-Roman Asklepieion Medicine". Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. 57 (3): 316. doi:10.1093/jhmas/57.3.312. ISSN 0022-5045.
  7. ^ Compton, M. T. (1 July 2002). "The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco-Roman Asklepieion Medicine". Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. 57 (3): 318. doi:10.1093/jhmas/57.3.312. ISSN 0022-5045.
  8. ^ COMPTON, MICHAEL T. (2002). "The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco-Roman Asklepieion Medicine". Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. 57 (3): 317. ISSN 0022-5045.
  9. ^ "Pausanias, Description of Greece, Corinth, chapter 11". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  10. ^ Pausanias, I.23.4; the statement in Pliny's Natural History (xxxiv.80) Pyrrhus fecit Hygiam et Minervam has been applied to these statues: see H. B. Walters, "Athena Hygieia", The Journal of Hellenic Studies 19 (1899:165–168) p. 167.
  11. ^ Plutarch. Life of Pericles 13.8, on-line text.
  12. ^ Allman, George Johnston (1889). Greek Geometry from Thales to Euclid. Hodges, Figgis, & Co. p. 26.
  13. ^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, xv.702, on-line text.
  14. ^ Similar images, though of a goddess in a more warlike aspect, represent Athena and Erichthonius.
  15. ^ "Statue of Greek health goddess Hygieia unearthed". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  16. ^ (in Greek). Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.

Notes edit

External links edit

January 01, 1970
hygieia, other, uses, disambiguation, goddess, from, greek, mythology, also, referred, hygiea, hygeia, ancient, greek, Ὑγιεία, Ὑγεία, latin, hygēa, hygīa, goddess, health, greek, ὑγίεια, hugieia, cleanliness, hygiene, name, source, word, hygiene, goddess, good. For other uses see Hygieia disambiguation Hygieia is a goddess from Greek mythology also referred to as Hygiea or Hygeia h aɪ ˈ dʒ iː e 1 Ancient Greek Ὑgieia or Ὑgeia Latin Hygea or Hygia Hygieia is a goddess of health Greek ὑgieia hugieia 2 cleanliness and hygiene Her name is the source for the word hygiene HygieiaGoddess of good health cleanliness and sanitation1st century Roman statue of the goddessAbodeMount OlympusPersonal informationParentsAsclepius and EpioneSiblingsIaso Panacea Aceso AegleEquivalentsRoman equivalentValetudo Salus Image of a marble statue depicting the lower portion of the goddess Hygieia while seated with a portion of a snake coiled atop the legs Located in the Roman collection in The Metropolitan Museum of Art inv 03 12 11a Dates to the 1st or 2nd century A D Statue of Hygieia in Art Deco style in Krakow Poland 1932 Hygieia is related to the Greek god of medicine Asclepius who is the son of the Olympian god Apollo Hygieia is most commonly referred to as a daughter of Asclepius 3 and his wife Epione Hygieia and her four sisters each performed a facet of Apollo s art Hygieia health cleanliness and sanitation Panacea universal remedy Iaso recuperation from illness Aceso the healing process and Aegle radiant good health Contents 1 The role of Hygieia in antiquity 2 Hygieia and Asclepius 3 Worship 4 Recent discoveries 5 See also 6 References 7 Notes 8 External linksThe role of Hygieia in antiquity editOne notable reference regarding Hygieia s role as a goddess of health can be found within the Hippocratic oath This oath is used by physicians in order to swear before various healing gods one of which being Hygieia that they would follow a code of established ethical standards of practice Section of the translated oath from Greek to English I swear by Apollo Healer by Asclepius by Hygieia by Panacea and by all the gods and goddesses making them my witnesses that I will carry out according to my ability and judgment this oath and this indenture 4 Hygieia and Asclepius editThe worship of Hygieia was closely associated with the cult of Asclepius While Asclepius was more directly associated with healing Hygieia was associated with the prevention of sickness and the continuation of good health In the second century CE the famous traveler Pausanias provided an account based on what he witnessed within the state of Greece 5 In his encyclopedic text Description of Greece written circa 160 CE to 174 CE Pausanias described encountering statues of Asclepius and Hygieia located at Tegea 6 In addition to statues which represent the two figures the incorporation of Hygieia within the cult of Asclepius can also be seen in medical iconography on numerous ancient Graeco Roman coins The close association between Hygieia and Asclepius indicates the important place she held in the cult of Asclepius 7 Worship edit nbsp Hygieia by Alexander Handyside Ritchie College of Physicians Queen Street Edinburgh Hygieia s primary temples were in Epidaurus Corinth Cos and Pergamon At the Asclepeion of Titane in Sicyon founded by Alexanor Asclepius grandson the Greek historian Pausanias remarked that a statue of Hygieia was covered by women s hair and pieces of Babylonian clothes 8 According to inscriptions similar sacrifices such as this were offered at Paros 9 Hygieia was also associated with the Greek goddess Athena In the 2nd century AD Pausanias noted statues both of Hygieia and of Athena Hygieia near the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens 10 Athena Hygieia was one of the cult titles given to Athena as Plutarch recounts of the building of the Parthenon 447 432 BC A strange accident happened in the course of building which showed that the goddess was not averse to the work but was aiding and co operating to bring it to perfection One of the artificers the quickest and the handiest workman among them all with a slip of his foot fell down from a great height and lay in a miserable condition the physicians having no hope of his recovery When Pericles was in distress about this the goddess Athena appeared to him at night in a dream and ordered a course of treatment which he applied and in a short time and with great ease cured the man And upon this occasion it was that he set up a brass statue of Athena Hygieia in the citadel near the altar which they say was there before But it was Phidias who wrought the goddess s image in gold and he has his name inscribed on the pedestal as the workman of it 11 nbsp Hugieia ygieia health was used as a greeting among the Pythagoreans 12 However the cult of Hygieia as an independent goddess did not begin to spread until the Delphic oracle recognized her after the devastating Plague of Athens 430 427 BC and in Rome after the 293 BC plague there The poet Ariphron from the Greek city state Sicyon wrote a well known hymn during the 4th century BC which celebrated Hygieia 13 Statues of Hygieia were created by Scopas Bryaxis and Timotheus among others but there is no clear description of what they looked like In the surviving depictions she is often shown as a young woman feeding a large snake that was wrapped around her body or drinking from a jar that she carried 14 These attributes were later adopted by the Gallo Roman healing goddess Sirona Hygieia was modified by the Romans into the goddess Valetudo the goddess of personal health There exists some debate about whether Hygieia can also be identified with the Roman goddess of social welfare Salus however this has yet to be fully substantiated Recent discoveries editIn August 2021 archaeologists from Dumlupinar University announced the discovery of statue of Hygieia in the Ancient Greek city Aizanoi The human sized statue was portrayed with a snake in its arms The statue was revealed inside the columned gallery throughout the south wing of the agora 15 16 See also editBowl of Hygieia 10 Hygiea a main belt asteroid named after Hygieia College of Aesculapius and Hygia List of health deities Ancient Greek Medicine Pericles Eir Norse healing goddess References edit Jones Daniel Roach Peter James Hartman and Jane Setter eds Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary 17th edition Cambridge UP 2006 ὑgieia Henry George Liddell Robert Scott A Greek English Lexicon on Perseus Norman Naomi J 1986 Asklepios and Hygieia and the Cult Statue at Tegea American Journal of Archaeology 90 4 429 doi 10 2307 506027 ISSN 0002 9114 Hippocrates of Cos 1923 The Oath Loeb Classical Library 147 298 299 doi 10 4159 dlcl hippocrates cos oath 1923 via Harvard University Press Pausanias Description of Greece Arcadia chapter 47 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 3 June 2021 Compton M T 1 July 2002 The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco Roman Asklepieion Medicine Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 57 3 316 doi 10 1093 jhmas 57 3 312 ISSN 0022 5045 Compton M T 1 July 2002 The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco Roman Asklepieion Medicine Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 57 3 318 doi 10 1093 jhmas 57 3 312 ISSN 0022 5045 COMPTON MICHAEL T 2002 The Association of Hygieia with Asklepios in Graeco Roman Asklepieion Medicine Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 57 3 317 ISSN 0022 5045 Pausanias Description of Greece Corinth chapter 11 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 3 June 2021 Pausanias I 23 4 the statement in Pliny s Natural History xxxiv 80 Pyrrhus fecit Hygiam et Minervam has been applied to these statues see H B Walters Athena Hygieia The Journal of Hellenic Studies 19 1899 165 168 p 167 Plutarch Life of Pericles 13 8 on line text Allman George Johnston 1889 Greek Geometry from Thales to Euclid Hodges Figgis amp Co p 26 Athenaeus Deipnosophists xv 702 on line text Similar images though of a goddess in a more warlike aspect represent Athena and Erichthonius Statue of Greek health goddess Hygieia unearthed Hurriyet Daily News Retrieved 29 August 2021 Statue of Greek Goddess Hygieia Unearthed in Turkey in Greek Archived from the original on 29 August 2021 Retrieved 29 August 2021 Notes editSmith William Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology London 1873 Hygieia External links editThe Warburg Institute Iconographic Database images of Hygeia http www perseus tufts edu hopper text doc Perseus text 1999 01 0160 book 2 chapter 11 amp highlight health Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Hygieia Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed Cambridge University Press Hygieia at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Definitions from Wiktionary nbsp Media from Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hygieia amp oldid 1220296146, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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