Mystical waters of ancient Greece: the wonders of hot springs and mineral springs, a healing journey of body and mind at thermal spas
Most towns in ancient Greece were built on hills close to springs, especially in the driest areas. Unlike other peoples, the ancient Greeks avoided living near rivers and lakes to protect them from water-related diseases and floods. As a result, springs have been the main source of water supply for ancient Greece since the beginning of ancient Greek history.
For this reason, complex works were built to collect and transport water from springs to towns, such as tunnels, cisterns, galleries, aqueducts, qanats, and fountains. Geothermal water has been used for therapeutic purposes in Greece, most likely since the dawn of human civilization.
As mentioned earlier, due to the geological conditions and tectonic structure, Greece has many hot springs, which favor the circulation of fluids and the development of spring water. The tectonic state and the presence of active faults favor the circulation of geothermal fluids and the development of hot springs, as well as the geothermal field.
Many of the hot springs are located in the Greek region and have high heat flow values, originating from recent volcanic and tectonic activity. The presence of faults plays an important role in making hot water rise from great depths to the upper aquifer. In these areas, water originating from the atmosphere mixes with seawater or magmatic water, seeps deep into the depths, heats up, lightens up, and then rises along tectonic faults.
Central and northern Greece recorded the most hot springs. The South Aegean region includes a number of islands that represent an active zone between the Eurasian and African plates, known as the South Aegean active volcanic arc.
Thermal mineral water is considered to be hot water with a total dissolved salt concentration of more than 20 g/L, which has a beneficial physiological effect on human health and is recognized by Greek law. Mineral water is divided into different subclasses based on temperature, total dissolved salt concentration, and trace elements. In terms of temperature, there are several categories of water: cold water, cryogenic water, warm water, and high-temperature water with a temperature greater than 38 °C.
Although rare, Greece has cold mineral waters, rich in metallic elements, suitable for spa treatments.
Some of them are used in hydrotherapy after artificial heating, while others are used for the bottling of drinking water and soft drinks. From a hydrogeological point of view, all groundwater with a temperature higher than the annual average temperature of an area can be considered hot water, although they cannot be used for hydrotherapy.
The systematic record of hot springs began in the first decades after the founding of the Greek state. Detailed data on hydrogeological and hydrochemical characteristics, as well as on the origin of Greek spas, are reported. The Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration is the official service of the National Record Hot Springs.
According to the Hellenic Geological and Mineral Exploration Survey, there are 750 hot springs in Greece; Of these, 128 are active and 52 are accredited and certified by the Ministry of Tourism.
The use of water for various treatments has been documented since ancient times, and is probably as old as humans. Hydrotherapy (is one of the basic treatments widely used in the natural medicine system.
In Homeric times (ninth century BC), warm baths were used for body cleansing, hygiene, and medical services. There is a time gap between the time of Homer and the establishment of the first Asclepia, for which no data is available.
Asclepieia is a sanctuary and the first ancient place, where the water, in combination with suitable climatic conditions, played a very important role. In almost all the cities of the ancient Greek world, Asclepieia was run by priests from historical periods, and people came here to seek healing.
During the Hellenistic period (323-30 BC), a medical school was established in Alexandria, and the important role of water in hydrotherapy and water quality was widely recognized in healthcare.
In ancient Egypt and Greece, the therapeutic use of water was documented. In addition, it was used by Roman and Egyptian royalty to bathe in essential oils and flowers, while the Romans provided public baths to their citizens. Asclepiades of Bithynia, the father of molecular medicine and the founder of Roman method medicine, widely supported hot and cold baths and succeeded in inciting a tradition that lasted for centuries.
In addition, other civilizations, such as China and Japan, had a long history of spa treatments before Roman Spas. In Japan, hydrotherapy is mainly performed in or around hot springs.
Hydrotherapy is a non-invasive and beneficial treatment for many patients. Many times, these patients have a long history of medications, including antibiotic therapy.
Emerging and increasing antibiotic microbial resistance is one of the major threats to human health in Europe and globally. While pool water is usually disinfected, infections are known to occur due to defective water treatment.
Treatments performed in swimming pools lead to a large release of bacteria. Bathers transfer approximately 105-106 CFU (colony-forming units) per person into the surrounding body of water over 15 minutes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is usually isolated from the pool environment.
