DELPHI “The Navel of The Earth”

Some General Facts:

Delphi is an archeological site located on the southwestern spur of mount Parnassus in the Valley of Phocis.

The Delphic oracle is the most important oracle of the Classical Greek World and a major site of worship of the Olympian god Apollo.

Apollo’s sacred precinct was a Panhellenic sanctuary, where athletes from the entire country competed every four years in The Pythian Games, precursors of the Modern Olympic Games.

The Oracle Delphi is perhaps best known for the Oracle in the sanctuary dedicated to god Apollo during the Classical Period.

The Sibyl or Priestess of the Oracle at Delphi was Known as Pythia.

The Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout the Greek world, and she was consulted before all major undertakings: wars, the founding of colonies, and so forth.

The oracle could not be consulted during the winter months, for this was traditionally the time when Apollo would live among the Hyperboreans. Dionysus would inhabit the temple during that time.

Barbarian invasions burned the Temple, which had been severely damaged by an earthquake in 83 BC. Thus the Oracle fell in decay and the surrounding area became impoverished.

The Temple of Apollo

The ruins of the Temple of Delphi visible today date from the 4th century BC are of a peripteral Doric building

The temple survived until 390 AD, when the Christian emperor Theodosius I silenced the oracle by destroying the temple and most of the statues and works of art in the name of Christianity

Amphictyonic CouncilThe Amphictyonic Council was a council of representatives from six Greek tribes that controlled Delphi and also the quadrennial Pythian Games. They met biannually and came from Thessaly and central Greece. Over time, the town of Delphi gained more control of itself and the council lost much of its influence.

Treasuries From the entrance of the site, continuing up the slope almost to the temple itself, are a large number of votive statues, and numerous treasuries.

They are called "treasuries" because they held the offerings made to Apollo; these were frequently a "tithe" or tenth of the spoils of a battle.

One of the largest of the treasuries was that of Argos. Built in the late Doric period, the Argives took great pride in establishing their place amongst the other city states.It was the abuse of these treasuries by various people during the years that led to the eclipse of Greek civilization and the eventual growth of Rome.

Some other buildings:

Temple of Apollo

Amphictyonic Council

Treasuries

Altar of the Chians

Stoa of the Athenians

Sibyl rock

Theatre

Tholos

Gymnasium

Stadium

Hippodrome

Polygonal wall

Castalian spring

Athletic statues

Thanks for your attention

Goudas Tatiana Yiannopoulou DanaeYiorgoyianni Dimitra