Hippokrateia Festival

Hippokrateia Festival

August

This festival is a celebration of Hippocrates, the "Great Physician," on Kos, the Greek island where he was born in about 460 b.c.e. A number of ancient manuscripts bear the name of Hippocrates; the best known of these is the Aphorisms, a collection of short discussions on the nature of illness, its diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. The Hippocratic oath, an ethical code attributed to Hippocrates, is still used in graduation ceremonies at many medical schools. In it, the physician pledges to refrain from causing harm and to live an exemplary personal and professional life.
Throughout antiquity, Kos attracted the sick and infirm who came for healing at the Shrine of Asclepius, the god of medicine. Today the island is a popular resort, featuring fine beaches, the ruins of Roman baths, a Greek theater, and a museum with a huge statue of Hippocrates. The festival includes performances of ancient drama, concerts, a flower show, and a reenactment of the Hippocratic oath.

CONTACTS:
Greek National Tourist Organization
645 Fifth Ave., 9th Fl.
New York, NY 10022
212-421-5777; fax: 212-826-6940
www.greektourism.com

SOURCES:
EncyRel-1987, vol. 6, p. 367