Asclepius, the son of Apollo, was a healer so skilled that he could bring the dead back to life. This angered Hades, god of the underworld, who complained to Zeus. Zeus struck Asclepius with a thunderbolt, but later placed him among the stars.
The Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus became the most famous healing center in the ancient world. Patients would sleep in the 'abaton' (incubation hall), hoping the god would visit them in their dreams and reveal a cure or heal them directly. The site also featured a magnificent theater, as the Greeks believed that healing the soul through art and drama was essential to healing the body.