Aesculapius\' symbol and the military hospital

[D B Campbell]

I have read that some stone military hospitals had signs with the Aesclupius' snake on them. Some sort of sign like the red cross in modern military hospitals.

Offhand, I can't think of any evidence for this.

Of course, as a medical zone, the legionary hospital was sacred to Aesculapius, and those working there would have sought his protection.

There is a rather nice statue base from the legionary fortress at Novae (Svishtov, Bulgaria) which reads:

[A]esculapium | ex donis arg(enteum) | p(ondo) V unc(iis) V | C(aius) Mansuanius | Severus leg(atus) Aug(usti) f(aciendum) c(uravit)
"Gaius Mansuanius Severus, legate of Augustus, oversaw the erection of a silver Aesculapius weighing 5 pounds 5 ounces (paid for) out of the offerings"
[attachment=2554]AE1998-1131_Novae.jpg[/attachment]

Richard Gabriel also had an interesting theory stating that medical personnel (like the capsarius) wore armbands with this symbol on it.

If he has any evidence for this, I'd like to see it.