Asclepius heals a patient sleeping in his temple by F. John Kluth, 2011. Image source: XAsclepigenia

Asclepius heals a patient sleeping in his temple by F. John Kluth, 2011. Image source: XAsclepigenia* (430 – 485 CE)was a famous philosopher and teacher in ancient Athens. She was the daughter of Archiades and Plutarch the Younger, who were both philosophers. Plutarch was the head of the Neoplatonistschool in Athens, which competed with the school of Alexandria during the timewhen Hypatia was teaching there. Plutarch educated Asclepigneia and her brother Hierius inNeoplatonist philosophy, and both children eventually became teachers at theschool. Asclepigenia specialized in metaphysics,cosmology and theology, and went on to lead the Athens school after herfather’s death. Her most famous student was the philosopher Proclus, who seems to have been aclose friend and protégé of her father. She actually dated him for a time, but eventuallymarried an Athenian senator named Theagenes, who was himself a descendant of Plato.  Asclepigenia remained friends with Proclus,and her son Hegias eventually became his student.Sometime around 450 CE, when she was a young woman stillliving at home with her parents, Asclepigenia became very ill. Her parents sent for physicians, but her condition did not respond to treatment, and her parents were informed that her disease was incurable. Too distraught to leave her bedside, her father sent a message to Proclus, confiding that there was little hope for her recovery. He implore the philosopher to go at once to the temple of Asclepius, god of medicine, to pray for her survival. Proclus, who lived very near the Asclepieion,promptly left home and hurried to the temple, accompanied by his friend Pericles who had been visiting, and they prayed together in for Asclepigenia’s heath tobe restored.When they were finished, they proceeded to Asclepigenia’s home, prepared to console her grieving parents. Instead, they were informed there had been a miraculous improvement in hercondition. During the time they been praying for her at the temple of Asclepius, she had been curedof the disease and was perfectly healthy. This story was recounted by Marinus of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, a Neoplatonistphilosopher, in his Life of Proclus.*Also spelled: Asclepignia and Asclepigneia Asclepigenia -- source link

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