The BBC series 'Son of God' applies contemporary archaeological techniques and discoveries to the gospel narratives. The second programme (last Sunday) mentioned the Pool of Bethesda, identified as two Roman pools, side by side, close to the Temple, with another behind them associated with a temple to Aesculapius, Roman god of healing. It said that the pool was an integral part of Aesculapius' cult. (I hope there will be refs to publications in the inevitable book.)

Quick look at the Oxford Classical Dictionary (1970 edn, inclining to be ancient), entries for Aesculapius and Asclepius: Greek cult of Asclepius reached prominence in Epidaurus, and was imported into Rome after a plague in 293 BC. Origins disputed. Hygieia, one of his attendant deities, also imported into Rome. The Roman military spread the cult to various parts of the Empire. Under Asclepius: 'In instituting new shrines, a sacred snake, representing the god, was fetched from another temple.' 'The central feature of the cures was the ritual of incubation . . . use was also made of . . . dietetics, baths (at Pergamum in radio-active springs), and exercise. In a sense the great sanctuaries were santoria, equipped with theatres, gymnasia, and baths'. (See the website -- I hope it's still going -- of Nis, former Yugoslavia, birthplace of Constantine: www.nis.org.yu/gradnis/istorija/history especially the Mediana thermae, where statues to Aesculapius and Hygieia were found. There's also a nice pile of skulls for us head cult freaks, but less than 200 years old. And the Celts got there as well.)

OCD continues (extracted): 'The sacred snake regularly assists in the cures, sometimes also dogs, to which, at Piraeus, sacrifices were even ordained.' A statue at Epidaurus, which was represented on coins, shows Asclepius seated, staff in left hand, holding his right extended over the serpent, with a dog lying beside the throne.

Water as part of cure; incubation; snakes; dogs -- all seem to pop up at various times in healing and well contexts. Are there any Aesculapius sites in Britain? Obviously, the dogs find their way into Nettleton Shrub and Lydney in RB period. Incubation becomes important feature of some Christian healing sites. We had a good go at snakes and wells some time ago. Is anyone aware of discussion about whether the Asclepius cult was drawing on pre-existing practices and imagery, which then continued in parallel? Or is it possible to say that bits of the cult were separately disseminated, e.g. dogs into Apollo Cunomaglos and Nodens?