Ancient Delphi

Ancient Delphi the History and Myths 😩

Olden-day Greeks considered Delphi the navel of the world and of course they have a myth about it. This one is on my ‘best-of’ list. The story goes that God Zeus (Apollo’s father) sent two eagles, one to the east and one to the west.

He did this to find the centre of the world. And where did they meet? The future site of Ancient Delphi… 2,500 years ago. Isn’t it interesting that the word GOD stirs up so many human feelings? On the one hand, inspiration, freedom, compassion, peace, and joy. And on the other, fear, anxiety, guilt, and embarrassment. Penny for your thoughts.

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The Temple of Apollo 😇

Considering its location up in the hills it’s a bit odd that Delphi took its name from the word Dolphin. In the Greek myth (yes another one) Apollo got on board the Dolphin and travelled all the way from Crete to Delphi where he killed a local monster and established an Oracle (in this case a priestess of ancient Greece) since he was the God of future-telling.

Not surprisingly people from all over the Mediterranean world would come to Delphi to have their future told.

To give a prophecy, the high priestess-oracle, known as Pythia, would enter the temple and chew laurel leaves. While chewing the leaves she would fall into ecstasy and speak the words of God Apollo. Sounds to me like she’s either talking in tongues or getting high or both.

The words would come out garbled or mixed up, so the priests of the temple would deliberate and discuss and put them into order and deliver the prophecy to the people.

Apollo 😇

And did you know?
Apollo was a bit of a romantic and had a crush on Daphne, who in Greek mythology was a Nymph and the daughter of a river god, and famous for being incredibly beautiful. She was also determined to remain unmarried.

Their story is that Apollo had been mocking the God of Love, EROS (aka Cupid). In retaliation, Eros fired two arrows: the first was a gold-tipped one that hit Apollo making him fall in love with Daphne. The other lead-tipped arrow hit Daphne, making her hate Apollo. But even though she’d rejected him, Apollo told Daphne he would love her forever

Daphne turned to the river god, Peneus, and pleaded for him to free her from Apollo. So Peneus used metamorphosis to turn Daphne into a laurel tree. Apollo then used his powers of eternal youth and immortality to make Daphne’s laurel leaves evergreen.

Poor Daphne. She had to sacrifice her body and turn it into a tree to fend off the amorous Apollo. Ancient Delphi

The Treasury: Money, Money, Money 😎

Of course, prophecies don’t come cheap so lots of valuables changed hands. To protect these treasures the Athenians of Delphi built a treasury. Possibly one of the first-ever banks? Interestingly, there were other banks built around it by other groups so you could say it was the first established financial district in the world.

The Stoa of the Athenians. Shopping Yaay 👠 👜

This shopping mall was used for storing the spoils of war, mainly from naval victories. It was also used for processions and ceremonies and at the back, there were a number of market-type shops. These were used to sell souvenirs and other things to the visiting pilgrims. Maybe the first-ever shopping mall. Ancient Delphi

Want to go to the Theatre Tonight Darl? 🎭

Delphi’s theatre was built in the 4th Century BC. It had a spectacular view of the Temple and the valley and surrounding hills. Plays, poetry recitals, and musical events took place. The audience might have had to bring their own cushions and you can’t really tell by looking, but there are 35 rows that held approximately 5,000 people.

The Run, Run, Run, Stadium 🤼‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 🏃🏾‍♂️

Initially, in the 5th century BC, the stadium consisted of JUST a racing track and the spectators would sit on the ground. In the 2nd century AD Emperor Hadrian secured funds from a wealthy Athenian to complete the stadium. This included marble seats and the monumental three-arched entrance.

The PanHellenic games were held every three years. Athletes raced, wrestled, and threw discus and javelin. The winners were awarded a Laurel Wreath. These games were second only to the Olympics.

The Hike Up, Phew 😰

Our base camp with Australia was at Camping Delphi. They kindly give us an information sheet when we arrived which showed a little hiking trail of about 3km to the modern Delphi through the ancient township of Kirra. We just love hiking trails but Fabian is a little hesitant because some of these little hikes mysteriously become all-day adventures.

This one I thought would be a doddle but it was a pretty steep climb in parts. We didn’t realise that the new Delphi was so close to the Ancient Delphi, so to save Fabian from having to climb up the hill again we decided to visit Ancient Delphi while we were already so close… (well that’s how I sold it to her 😇).

By the time we walked up through the Ancient Delphi (more hills 😱) and back down again, we were bloody exhausted. Our icy cold beer hardly touched the sides.

New Delphi, Flashy, no. Special views, yes

The modern township of Delphi is the hub for tourists visiting the ancient site. Its original name was Castro and was relocated to its present site from the ancient site so excavation could begin. The main streets are full of hotels and restaurants, with amazing views of the olive tree valleys below.

Apparently, it’s the biggest continuous olive grove in Greece and maybe beyond. Regardless, they’re great for a meal or just a drink after your leisurely stroll around the ancient site or just to enjoy the view. There’s a one-way street system though and it can be a bit slow if you’re driving behind something doing deliveries.

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Base Camp, Loved it

We choose our campsites carefully. Reviews play a big part – but sometimes you only get the complaints and not the praise which could put you off an otherwise perfectly good site. For us, access is also very important. The next thing to consider is the facilities: internet-wifi, power, and water. Of course, pitch size, layout, and views are also high on our list. Delphi camping ticked all the boxes and the owners were so friendly and accommodating.

Pity the restaurant and pool were closed, normally happens in the offseason. It was also pretty windy at times so we chose a protected spot and still had a lovely view. Definitely recommended. https://www.delphicamping.com/

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