“Deus ex machina”: re-evaluating the relationship between the cults of Asclepius and Glykon

The article examines the cult of Glykon, which emerged in the 2nd century AD in Asia Minor. The author analyzes the established scholarly thesis that Glykon, by the nature of his iconography and cult practices, was a new incarnation of the healing god Asclepius. The aim of the study is to identify the genuine origins and the specific nature of this cult. Based on a comparative analysis of the literary data and the archaeological and numismatic evidence, the following conclusion is drawn: the healing practices within the Glykon cult, as well as its iconography, do not only find any parallels in the cult of Asclepius but often directly contradict it. It is proven that the key elements of the cult have more obvious analogies in Eastern, Syro-Phrygian cults. Thus, the Glykon cult was a syncretic phenomenon in which the image, name, and symbolism of Asclepius were used to legitimize the local Anatolian beliefs and magical practices. This was done to appeal to both the local population and the Hellenized elite, who revered the pan-Hellenic healing god. Consequently, the article challenges the uniform approach of “Glykon as the new Asclepius” and demonstrates the mechanisms of religious syncretism in Asia Minor.

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