Greece |
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Delphi One of the main religious sites in the Classical World was the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. Delphi is situated in Phocis and the ancient ruins spread out over the southern slopes of Mount Parnassos, beneath the Phaidriad rocks. Apollo was worshipped at Delphi as the god of light, harmony and order. He was also the god possessed with the power of prophecy and through his oracles communicated the will of Zeus to mortals. Envoys went to the oracle to consult it over important matters of state, as well as some private matters. After making a sacrifice to the god, they paid a set sum and then awaited the message from the god. This was given through a priestess - the Pythia - whose incomprehensible mutterings were in turn interpreted by other priests. Contests were held at Delphi every four years, similar to the Olympic Games, and contestants came to the sanctuary from throughout the Greek World. These games not only included sporting competitions but also music and poetry contests. The site had its own theatre and hippodrome for equestrian events. The games lasted a total of 8 days and the victor's trophy was a wreath of laurel, the tree sacred to Apollo and the right to erect a portrait statue within the sanctuary. Worshippers would enter the sanctuary to Apollo from the south-east and then proceed along the Sacred Way towards the Temple of Apollo. This walkway was lined with votives which commemorated various victories such as the Athenian one for their victory at Marathon. These were then followed by a series of treasuries set up by different cities to house their religious emblems as well as riches etc. These temples were replicas of small temples and followed the basic principles of design. The most sacred building was the temple of Apollo, the remains of which date from the 4th Century B.C. The temple was in the Doric order, with 6 columns on the ends and 15 along the long sides. The centre of the temple is reached by a ramp. On the walls of the nave were two inscriptions of well known sayings 'know thyself' and 'nothing in excess'. Further on from the temple is the theatre. In the typical style of a Greek theatre, the seating area is carved into the hillside itself, thus making use of the natural surroundings. A distance up the hill is the well-preserved stadium The original one was build in the 5th Century B.C. but the current remains date from the 2nd Century A.D. The stadium is believed to have held 7000 spectators. |