The oracle of delphi

The History of Delphi• Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center literally navel of the world • 1400 BC: first settlement at the site of Delphi • located in a plateau on the

Go back to a time…

When the world was forming its own beliefs and each individual,

was constantly on the search for answers.

Enter Apollo Patron god of Delphi

With the orders of Apollo, a great and mystical city was established.

A Delphic Timeline…

• 11th - 9th Century BC: Beginning of the cult of Apollo of Delphi 11th - 9th Century BC Middle of the

• Middle of the 7th Century BC: First Temple of Apollo built Middle of the 7th Century BC

• 600-590 BC: First sacred war, Apollo given full control over Delphi, it’s priests and oracles 600-590 BC

• 548-547 BC: Temple of Apollo destroyed by fire 548-547 BC

• 514-505 BC: Construction of new temple completed 514-505 BC

• 373-372 BC: Temple destroyed by an earthquake 373-372 BC

• 336-329 BC: Temple reconstruction finished 336-329 BC

The History of Delphi

• Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literally navel) of the world

• 1400 BC: first settlement at the site of Delphi

• located in a plateau on the side of Mt Parnassus

• The area of Delphi originally was called Pytho and belonged to Gaia, goddess of Earth

- Gaia and her daughter, Themis, are believed to have spoken oracles ages ago

• Legend says Apollo journeyed from the Hyperborean and arriving at Delphi he slew the great python-dragon guarding the site

• Apollo was a semi divine teacher using the name of the god, and as a representative of Zeus, he offered advice on personal, civil, and sacred matters through Pythias

• Archaeological findings indicate that the first sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi was erected in the 8th century B.C

copy of:

Priestesses

• The Pythia was the priestess of Apollo

• She was a woman of 50 who had abandoned all of her family obligations

• People came from all over Greece and beyond to have questions about the future answered

• At the beginning, the Pythia delivered predictions once a year on the 7th day of the Delphic month Bysios, which happened to be the day of Apollo’s birth

- Increasing popularity caused the 7th day of each month to be the prophecy day

• In periods of greater demand, two women alternated in position of the Pythia and a third was also available as a replacement

• Her answers were usually cryptic and could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war

• Arguments over the correct interpretations of the oracle were common, but the oracle was always happy to give another prophecy…if more gold was provided

• In the midst of all her babbling and shouting, there would be a message from Apollo

• A priest would interpret the message for visitors and would phrase it in the form of a riddle so her responses to questions from visitors were answered while she was in a trance

• Her inarticulate cries were interpreted and written down by the priest who was an official interpreter

• At first this was done in hexameter verse and later in prose verse

• The interpretation was often deduced after the event referred to had already occurred

• The pythia sat on Apollo’s tripod to deliver her predictions

• The Oracle of Delphi told Socrates he was the wisest man in Greece which puzzled him for he thought he knew very little

- He then decided that his wisdom lay in the fact that he knew that he had very little

knowledge and trying to learn more.

”A life lived without asking questions is no life at all.”

• Apollo shared sanctuary at Delphi with Dionysus

• Every fall he departed for his winter quarters in the land of the Hyperboreans, a distant and

wonderful land in the North, and returned in the spring

• During his absence the Pythia did not deliver predictions and Dyonysus ruled over Delphi

Artists Interpretation of:

A Pythia

Her answers could determine things from when farmers planted their fields to when an empire declared war

Different women filled the role of Pythia from about

1400 B.C to A.D 38 and she was basically the medium through

which Appollo spoke

Archaeologists among many others believe that intoxicating fumes caused the Pythia's frenzy

A few years ago, a study published in Geology found evidence of

hallucinogenic gases rising a spring closeby and preserved within the temple rock

Many of theancient people around the Mediterranean believed so strongly in Pythia's view of the future that none of their major

decisions were made without consulting her

Ruins of: Bases of tripods given as gifts to Apollo

Rituals & Predictions

• Greeks and non-Greeks, Kings and commoners, came to consult the Oracle on

private and public matters

•

They first cleansed themselves, in the sacred spring of Castalian and drank water

from another spring

The Priestesses (known as “Pythia”) chewed bay leaves while seated on a tripod,

she would go into a trance

•

Strange hallucinating vapor arose from the ground

•

The question asked would be written down and was handed to the priest who turned

to Pythia for Apollo’s answer

• The Pythia was in a drugged frenzy brought on by inhaling ethylene from the stream and chewing laurel leaves so she prophesied in a state of ecstasy and words from her mouth were

incomprehensible

• Her mumbles would be translated by the priest

• She never gave a straight answer She would never conceal or reveal the truth,

but only hint at it

• The reputation for truth telling remained high

• The historian Herodotus gave an account of this when he reported of king Croesus

of Lydia who asked if he should invade Persian territory His reply from the Oracle

was, if he did invade a mighty empire would be destroyed Croesus thinking he would

be victorious invaded, but it was his own empires that fell and were subsequently

destroyed

• Where is this site located?

- Perched above a majestic valley on the slopes of Mount Paranssus in Central Greece

- There is a road lined with small buildings, still winds its way up the slope and past

the remains of his great temple, which housed Apollo’s Oracle

Historical Significance

• Political Impact

• affected the politics of ancient Greece

• If one wanted to set up a new colony or launch a military campaign

– Naval victory at Salamis

• (A wall of wood to be alone uncaptured) – referred to Athenian Victory

– King Croeus

Spartans tried to capture Tegea – failed

• Political suicide through whoever had ‘interpreted’ the oracle as well as political gain

• Interesting idea: a Woman was so influential in politics, when, in ancient Greece, this was not,

generally, accepted

• Economic Impact

• naturally all the military campaigns affected that city’s economy

– food, armour, transportation, weapons, ‘morale’

• since to consult oracle, required offering

– Delphi was very rich

• Very protected

• All these people wanting to consult oracle

– Had to have food, place to stay, might sight-see while there

• today is a BIG tourist attraction

– greatly boosts Greece’s economy

• Social Impact

• many people would consult

• would act upon their individual interpretation of what was ‘predicted’

– therefore shaped many of their lives

• Historical Importance

• regarded as the omphalos (center of the world) – shows importance

• greatly impacted the political, social and economical scene of the day

Amphitheater

Delphic Jeopardy!

TEAM 1: For 100 Points

A: Located on the side of Mount Parnassus

Q: What is Delphi?

TEAM 2: For 100 points

A: Houses the mystical city of Delphi

Q: What is Greece?

TEAM 1: For 200 Points

A: The Oracle of Delpi is associated with this god

Q: Who is Apollo?

TEAM 2: For 200 Points

A: Chief Priestess of Delphi

Q: Who is Pythia?

TEAM 1: For 300 Points

A: Considered in Delphic times the center of the world

Q: What is the omphalos?

TEAM 2: For 300 Points

A: Important sanctuary where predictions took place

Q: What is the Temple of Apollo?

FINAL JEOPARDY!

A: Three hallucinogens used to spur predictions

Q: What are bay leaves, laurel leaves and ethylene ?

• 1 How would the Oracle of Delphi effect everyday life?

• 2 Do you believe the predictions were truthful?

• 3 If you could ask the oracle one question what would it be?

• 4 What legacies did the Oracle of Delphi leave?

• 5 What made Apollo so significant in the creation of the site for the Oracle of Delphi?

• 6 Were the priests influenced by the politics of the time?

• 7 How do you think the temple being destroyed was interpreted by the people of that time?

Those who are chosen may CONSULT THE ORACLE !

The Ultimate

Prediction

Can you unscramble the question first?

Use the Code to unscramble a question.

Then, under the question write down YOUR answer to the question Whoever comes up with the most creative answer will be the winner!

***Remember, the Pythia’s answers were often vague,

but held some resemblance of truth!

Will the divine mystic powers grant us pleasant markings?

Work Cited List

Archibald, Zofia Ancient Greece New York Quarto Publishing 1991 (pg.162-163) Andrew, Antony Greek Society Canada Penguin Book 1988 (pg.108-109)

Bawra, C.M Classical Greece Canada Time-Life Books 1977 (pg.74-75, 180)

Boardman, John Greece and the Hellenistic World Toronto Oxford University Press

1990 (pg.260-261)

Clare, John D Ancient Greece Great Britian Random House 1993 (pg.14-34)

Oracle Of Delphi http://www.oracleofdelphi.com (7 Nov 2005).

The Oracle At Delphi http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/7_p1.html

(7 Nov 2005)