Exploring the Sanctuary of Delphi (History and Walking Tour)

Dedicated to the god Apollo, the Oracle of Delphi was one of the most renowned shrines of the ancient Greek world. Situated about 2000 feet above sea level on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, Delphi was once believed by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the world. Delphi's origins may date back to the 3rd millennium BC, when the site likely hosted a dedicated to a pre-Greek deity, possibly a mother goddess worshipped by the local population. The beginning of its association with Apollo is uncertain, but most scholars believe it began in the 8th century BC. By the 600s BC, an important temple dedicated to Apollo had already been established there. According to Greek tradition, the shrine was originally called Pytho. Greek mythology recounts that Apollo seized control of Pytho by slaying its guardian, the serpent, Python. At the heart of Delphi's fame was the Pythia, a priestess who, while in a trance, delivered Apollo's prophecies to visitors. The oracles were conveyed to attending priests as brief, poetic verses, which made them easier to remember. At its peak in the 500s BC, the oracle at Delphi was so busy that it had up to three Pythias serving at once. People came with all sorts of questions, ranging from personal concerns to matters of state. The main temple dedicated to Apollo stood on a terraced platform at the center of a walled, rectangular enclosure along the hillside. Surrounding it were secondary structures, including colonnades, meeting halls, a theater for the musical and dramatic contests of the Pythian games, and around a dozen treasuries, which were small but elegant stone buildings constructed by various Greek city-states to house statues, relics, and other valuable offerings to the god. Today, the Doric-style treasury of the Athenians is the only one still standing. It was partially restored by modern archaeologists to reflect its original form from 490 BC, when it was built to commemorate Athens' victory over the Persians at Marathon. Another notable treasury, erected around 525 BC by the island of Cyphnos and funded by its lucrative gold mines, was intended to surpass all others in size and beauty. Fragments of its marble frieze, now housed in the Delphi Museum, depict the mythical battle between gods and giants, and rank among the finest examples of early Greek architectural sculpture. The true workings behind the Oracle's prophecies remain a mystery, though it seems to be apparent that some sort of deception may have played a role. Much like the medieval Vatican, Delphi was a wealthy and politically savvy institution, with an extensive network of informants. Many of the supplicants were wealthy and influential, making their affairs and intentions relatively easy for the priesthood to learn about, as they undertook the long, public pilgrimage to Delphi. The Oracle's answers were rarely straightforward. Some of the most famous pronouncements, as reported by the historian Herodotus, were masterfully ambiguous. For example, when King Croesus of Lydia asked around 546 BC whether he should invade the newly established Achaemenid Persian Empire, the Oracle replied that doing so would destroy a great empire. Croesus followed its advice and attacked, causing an empire to fall, his own. During the mid-8th century BC, as waves of Greek colonists spread across the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the god Apollo, venerated as the patron of colonization, became central to these ventures. Seizing the moment, the priests at Delphi elevated their Oracle as the ultimate spiritual guide for founding new cities. Delphi's influence soared even higher in 582 BC, when the Pythian Games were restructured into a major Panhellenic event. The festival drew crowds from across the Greek world and firmly established Delphi's reputation as a cultural and religious epicenter. Control of the sanctuary and its surroundings shifted several times throughout Delphi's history. In the early 6th century BC, it was held by Phocaean settlers from nearby Cyra, who were reportedly committing sacrilegious acts against pilgrims. During what became known as the First Sacred War between 595 to 585 BC, the Athenians seized the site. After its temple was destroyed by fire in 548 BC, the exiled Athenian Alcmeonid family took control and built a new Doric-style temple around 510 BC. During the Second Sacred War, around 448 BC, the Phocaeans regained control of Delphi and the Pythian Games. In 373 BC, the Alcmeonid temple was destroyed, most likely by an earthquake. Construction on a third temple was started in 369 BC, this time with limestone pillars, the ruins of which still stand today. The wealth stored in Delphi's treasuries made it a target not only for robbers, but also invading armies. In 480 BC, during the Persian king Xerxes' invasion of Greece, some Persian forces attempted to plunder the sanctuary, and in 275 BC, the Galatians under Brennus reached the Temunus of Athena Pronea with similar intent. According to tradition, both threats were miraculously thwarted by sudden storms and falling boulders that crushed the assailants. However, no such miracle occurred in 83 BC when a Thracian tribe looted the sanctuary and sacked the temple of Apollo. The sacred fire, said to have burned continuously for centuries, was extinguished for the first time. Despite these setbacks, Delphi remained a significant religious and political center well into the Roman era. Most emperors respected the sanctuary, with many contributing funds to maintaining its upkeep. One notable exception was Emperor Nero, who looted the site and took around 500 bronze statues from the temple of Apollo. Delphi's decline began in earnest after the 1st century AD, as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and the old gods of Greece and Rome were increasingly neglected. In 390 AD, Emperor Theodosius I, a devout Christian, officially closed the sanctuary as part of campaign against paganism. Over time, the site fell into ruin and was eventually abandoned. Excavations at Delphi began in earnest in the late 19th century, uncovering its remarkable ruins and ancient artworks, many of which are now housed in the Delphi Museum. Today, Delphi is one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations. If you haven't visited, the rest of this video will give you a better sense of what it's like to experience the site. Maybe. The monument that you saw is actually this one that will be over there. There used to be over this column a cauldron standing on it on three feet and this was a column that was dedicated right after the end of the battle of Platea, 479 BC. People are talking. Yeah, let's go the way we know. Remember when we were like way down there? Moldings still had some of the color on them. Guys, do you hear the cicadas around us? People taking pictures. The belly button of the earth, I said, as we drove in here, I said, honestly, if we look at the geology and, you know, that aspect of nature. almost there yes it's worth it it's really worth it so keep going yeah okay take a break but you want to go to the other end this side okay thank you i can only go this side thank god for trees and shade thanks for watching i'd also like to thank the channel's patrons for making videos like this these include but are certainly not limited to grenkeck69, yapdegraf, pasta frola, michael lewis, daniel allen, danny van ek, ynextv, robert morgan, strobex, frank, tim lane, sebastian ortada correa, michael trudell, leader titan, micah g, john scarberry, andrew bomer, connor dolson, krish, david r, stephen ball, gabe, monty grimes, franz robbins, cyrus meer, dianastra, nimrod neer, hypnosan, brendan redman, fared undarachanji, jimmy daruwala, anahita debu, gulistan debu, sherkam, farhad kama, and all of the channel's patrons on patreon for helping to support this and all future content. check out the benefits to being a patreon member feel free to click the link in the video description. you can also follow history with sai on instagram, facebook, and x, formerly known as twitter, as well as continue to listen to special audio programs on the history with sai podcast. thanks again and