Apollo is perhaps the most important and mysterious of all the ancient deities in Classical Greek and Roman mythology.
He was the son of Zeus and Leto and was so skilled that he soon came to be known as the god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more.
The cult that centres around him is believed to have emerged at some point in the 8th century BC.
This obsession is exemplified in the sanctuary built near Delphi in the fourth century BC by architects Spintharus, Xenodoros, and Agathon to worship Apollo.
Though many of the buildings were destroyed by an earthquake in 373 BC, much of the untold treasures and stories they hold were explored during Amazon Prime’s documentary, ‘Secrets of Archaeology‘, in which several modern-day breakthroughs were also documented.
“The ancient sacred road that leads to the sanctuary crammed today with tourists wanting to see the archaeological site was lined in ancient times with statues and small temples,” explained the narrator.
“They were the treasures of Delphi and this treasure of the Athenians is the best-preserved one, but there were many all containing valuables and artworks, most of which were carried off over the centuries and never found again.
“Yet Delphi never fails to amaze with gold, bronze and ivory votive objects and a magnificent sphinx, perhaps the city’s most beautiful statue has been unearthed.”
Oddly, however, despite their grandeur and significance, these objects were never mentioned in any history books.
The narrator continued: “Scholars found the answer to this mystery by examining the disasters that occurred in the area, like earthquakes and landslides on the hills at Delphi.
“Had the gifts offered to Apollo been damaged in the disasters, they could no longer be displayed, that’s why people buried them below the sanctuary.”
Many of these pieces can now be seen in the flesh at the local museum. One of the relics at the site, a circular building with a diameter of approximately 30 feet and 23 feet high, has caught the attention of archaeologists for its “unusual” style.
It would have served as a sanctuary and place of great importance to the Ancient Greeks.
As the narrator explained: “To worshippers, their images of the power and majesty of the gods was embodied in the beauty of this building.”
Besides being a place of worship, Delphi also played host to the Pythian Games, one of the four athletic and artistic festivals of Ancient Greece.
The sports included wrestling, running, and throwing, held every four years between the Olympic Games.
According to most historical assessments, ancient Greek civilisation lasted about 1200 to 1300 years.
Dates differ, and though much of Greek society went on to be dominated by Ancient Rome, it is generally agreed that the period of Ancient Greece officially ended with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC.
Tyler Mitchell