Temple of Apollo, Delphi

370 BCE - 330 BCE

4th century BCE

Temple of the oracle

Mythological and Historical Temple Succession

Greek tradition records five distinct temples at Delphi, beginning with a primitive hut made of laurel from the Vale of Tempe. The second was allegedly constructed from beeswax and feathers, while the third was mythologically attributed to Hephaestus and made of bronze. The fourth temple, a stone structure built by Trophonius and Agamedes, stood until it was destroyed by fire in 548 B.C.E. The visible ruins today belong to the 4th-century B.C.E. reconstruction, which replaced a 6th-century B.C.E. Doric temple that was damaged by an earthquake in 330 B.C.E.

Doric Architecture and Pedimental Themes

The 6th-century B.C.E. temple followed the Doric order, featuring a six-by-fifteen column peristyle. Its decorative program included pediments started by the sculptor Praxias and completed by Androsthenes. The Eastern pediment depicted Apollo, Artemis, and Leto against a rising and setting sun, while the Western pediment featured Dionysus and his female votaries, the Thyiades. This dual representation reflected the temple's seasonal shift in worship between Apollo and Dionysus, with the latter deity honored during the winter months when oracular activity ceased.

Metopes and External Military Trophies

The temple's exterior was adorned with metopes depicting gods and heroes triumphing over monsters, such as Heracles defeating the Hydra and Zeus overcoming the giant Mimas. These scenes mirrored Apollo's mythological victory over the serpent Python. Additionally, the temple served as a repository for military spoils; the Athenians attached Persian shields captured at the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.E. to the exterior, which were later joined by Gallic shields following the repulsion of an invasion in 279 B.C.E.

Interior Maxims and Sacred Relics

The temple's pronaos (porch) featured the three famous Delphic maxims of the Seven Sages: 'Know Thyself,' 'Nothing in Excess,' and 'Surety Brings Ruin,' alongside the mysterious 'E' symbol. The inner sanctuary, or adyton, was restricted to priests and likely housed a golden statue of Apollo, the Omphalos stone representing the center of the universe, and an iron chair dedicated to the poet Pindar. The cella floor was paved with blue-grey limestone slabs, which were ritually washed with water from the Castalian spring.

Wealth, Looting, and the Sacred Wars

The temple's immense wealth, derived from centuries of votive offerings, made it a target during the Sacred Wars between 595 B.C.E. and 290 B.C.E. During the Third Sacred War in 357 B.C.E., the Phocians seized the temple and looted its treasures to fund a mercenary army. It is estimated they extracted 10,000 talents from the site. This wealth was so legendary that Herodotus claimed the Persian King Xerxes I was more familiar with the riches of Delphi than with his own treasury in Persia.

International Funding and Material Upgrades

The construction of the fifth temple was a massive international undertaking managed by the Amphictyonic League. The project had an initial budget of 300 talents, with one-quarter paid by Delphians and the remainder sourced from global donations. Notable contributors included the Egyptian King Amasis II, who gave 1,000 talents, and Greek colonists from Naucratis. This surplus funding allowed the Alcmaeonidae family, who held the building contract, to upgrade the facade from the specified limestone to prestigious white Parian marble for the columns.

The Inscribed Polygonal Retaining Wall

The temple platform is supported by massive walls of polygonal masonry that served as a public record. These stones are covered in inscriptions dating from the 3rd century B.C.E. through the Roman era under Hadrian. The texts include Amphictyonic council decrees, public eulogies for benefactors, and records of the emancipation of slaves who were dedicated to Apollo. One specific inscription mentions a tax levied to fund medical attendance for those visiting the temple for healing, highlighting Apollo's role as a deity of medicine.

Modern Excavations and Artistic Recoveries

Systematic excavation of the temple began in 1892 by the French School of Athens under Jean Théphille Homelle. Major discoveries include the 'Charioteer of Delphi,' a bronze statue dedicated by Polyzalos of Gela, and the 'Dancers of Delphi' sculpture. In 1938, excavators found two cavities beneath the temple containing gold, ivory, and bronze fragments from chryselephantine statues, as well as gold slates depicting mythological figures. These artifacts are now housed in the Delphi Archaeological Museum, providing evidence of the temple's former artistic splendor.

The Oracular Process and Subterranean Vault

The Pythia, a priestess who served as the oracle, delivered prophecies from a tripod located in a vault or chamber likely situated beneath the temple floor. Before the consultation, she was cleansed with water from the Castalian spring. While some ancient accounts suggest she entered a trance by inhaling gases from a chasm or drinking sacred water, modern scholars like Joseph Fontenrose argue she may have spoken intelligibly. A priest standing in the temple above would hear her voice through a floor opening and interpret the prophecy for the inquirer.

Modern Excavations and Artistic Recoveries

Systematic excavation of the temple began in 1892 by the French School of Athens under Jean Théphille Homelle. Major discoveries include the 'Charioteer of Delphi,' a bronze statue dedicated by Polyzalos of Gela, and the 'Dancers of Delphi' sculpture. In 1938, excavators found two cavities beneath the temple containing gold, ivory, and bronze fragments from chryselephantine statues, as well as gold slates depicting mythological figures. These artifacts are now housed in the Delphi Archaeological Museum, providing evidence of the temple's former artistic splendor.