There is another school of thought which is of the opinion that Apollo altered his body and took the physical shape of a dolphin and steered a Cretan vessel and directed the sailors on board to construct his shrine.
That is why, in the archaeoligical site of Delphi, there is a temple of Apollo. In the centre of the Apollo temple is the Stoa of the Athenians and very close to it, there is an ancient theatre where performances used to take place.
In Greek, the word Delphis means a Dolphin and thus the name Delphi. Delphi came into prominence during the 7th century BC, at a time when it became a hub of the exclusive Amphictionic League.
With the active support and patronage of the Amphictionian League Kleisthenes of Sykonia barricaded the principal port with the active support of Sikyonian navy and after dog fighting which went on for ten long years, subjugated and completely ruined Kirra. This was the First Sacred War(595-585).
Kleisthenes than decided to build a new treasury and once again introduced the Pythian games with a lot of zest and fanfare. The games were held at an interval of every four years very similar to the modern day Olympic Games.
At the beginning there was just a solitary musical contest but the visionary that Kleisthenes was, he introduced Chariot races, wrestling, running and a whole lot of other exciting sporting events.
The magnificent temple was maintained by the League, the Delphic Amphictyony. |
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Delphi, they endeavored to
confiscate the treasures of the shrine, but they couldn't succeed
due to the god's forbiddance.
According to popular Greek folklore, the sacred arms, which were well preserved with a lot of secrecy in the interior chamber were reportedly found abandoned at the entrance to the foyer.
Just as the Persians who were hell-bent in salvaging their pride ascended and reached the Athena Pronaea temple, a thunderstorm cry that emanated from the temple of Athena.
The falling of the rocks resulted inthe death of many Persians and the remaining army of survivors thought it prudent and wise to retreat rather than perishing.
The people of Delphi were of the opinion that the two combatants were none other than Phylacos and Autonous both of whom had their shrines in close proximity to the temple.
Again in 356 BC, it was the turn of the Phokaeans who captured the place and plundered its treasures. It was much later in 346 BC that the generous King Phillip of Macedon liberated the place.
One important event was the incident wherein the Thebans lay blame on the Phoekaeans in the Amphictionic league, with the complaint that they occupied a large territory from the shrine.
The league later found them on the wrong side of the law and rightfully ordered them to pay an astronomical sum. But, the Phokaeans were unable to pay.
What is more they looted the arms and made the outlawed Philomelos as their leader who than went on to capture and plunder Delphi in the process mercilessly killing a majority of the priests.
To give a good reason for his treacherous actions he asked the Pythia to narrate to Oracle that it was destiny which made such actions possible. |
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Needless to say, all these developments led to war. In the second year of the Sacred War Philomelos committed suicide by jumping into a ravine so as to evade captivity.
Now it was the turn of Philomelos's brother Onomarchos, who was a battle hardened leader and had won many a hard fought battles but at the end of the day was overpowered by King Phillip.
As many as six thousand Phokaean soldiers were killed during the battle and an additional three thousand soldiers were captured and ultimately tossed into the sea as a retribution for blasphemy.
In 279 BC, it was the turn of the marauding Galatians to attack Greece and at one point of time they came in close proximity to Delphi, but retreated when they encountered missiles of stones and rocks that were hurled at them.
It is true that during the Roman era Delphi was plundered but it must also be admitted that they also derived other fringe benefits. General Sulla too made merry by looting Delphi primarily to compensate the operating expense for the siege of Athens.
It is believed that Nero fled away with as many as 500 priceless statues to Rome.
Simillarly Constantine the Great, Emperor Theodosius, the Goths and Slavs all invaded Delphi at different times and fled away with the booty. |
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