Sanctuary Influence in Classical Representations of Incubation: The Motif of the Witness Awake

Abstract

Classical representations of the miracle cures of Asclepius reflect a model influenced by the agenda of his sanctuaries, particularly in the way they seek to give proof of the experience of incubation and the manifestation of the god’s power. The motif of the witness awake, found in these representations, can be considered evidence of this influence.