Delphic oracle

A brief history of Delphi before exploring the ruins.

According to Greek mythology, Delphi is the center of the world. According to legend, Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the earth to meet each other. In the place where they collided and was the center of the earth. This place was marked as the navel of the earth. By analogy with the center of man - the navel.

By the way, according to various legends, birds sent by Zeus to search for the center of the earth could turn out to be pigeons rather than eagles. But this is not so important.

Continuing to talk about legends, you need to remember Apollo. This god killed the local serpent Python, who was the son of the goddess Gaia. Python guarded the sacred spring. This source is called Kastalsky.

The killing of the snake Python was necessary in order to take possession of the Castal spring.

According to legend, Apollo became the owner of this territory. There was a comfortable place to live and water.

According to another legend, sailors arrived here, who were brought to this place by Apollo in the form of a dolphin. People who came here named the settlement in honor of this dolphin - Delphi.

Delphi is rapidly gaining popularity. Firstly, it is the center of the world, and secondly, this is the habitat of Apollo and there is a sacred Delphic oracle - a powerful center of predictions.

A huge number of different people came to Delphi. And simple and rich and noble. Even kings and generals came to the Delphic oracle for advice.

The oracle was in the temple of Apollo. All who came for advice should have left the offering. A huge amount of wealth was brought to the city. For example, King Midas gave the temple a golden throne.

The Temple of Apollo was built several times. The one whose remains can be seen now was built in 350 BC.

Before that, there were several temples, both stone and others. Temples perished due to earthquakes and fires.

In the temple of Apollo, the soothsayer - the Pythia served. To prophesy a woman must be at least 50 years old. At that time a very old woman.

Candidates in order to enter the position of a soothsayer had to go through a complicated ceremony. The main part of the work of Pythia was the inhalation of poisonous vapors emerging from a crevice in the mountain. From this, the soothsayer fell into a trance, and it was in this state that she spoke phrases, which the sages and priests then tried to interpret.

Of course, such interpretations were very rough and ambiguous. But many coming for advice wanted a more specific answer. For example, Alexander the Great. He did not get the answer that he expected and just grabbed Pythia by the hair. The forecaster immediately answered very specifically: yes, Alexander, you will win all campaigns and battles ...