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What is the true story behind the Oracle of Delphi?
Delphi was an ancient religious sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo. Developed in the 8th century B.C., the sanctuary was home to the Oracle of Delphi and the priestess Pythia, who was famed throughout the ancient world for divining the future and was consulted before all major undertakings.
Does Pythia exist?
Apollo’s priestess got her title, The Pythia, from the Python. Delphi was (and still is) located in central Greece, on the side of Mount Parnassus.
What is the Pythia in ancient Greece?
The Pythia (or Oracle of Delphi) was the priestess who held court at Pytho, the sanctuary of the Delphinians, a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek god Apollo. Pythia were highly regarded, for it was believed that she channeled prophecies from Apollo himself, while steeped in a dreamlike trance.
Who killed Niobe’s children?
Artemis
According to Homer’s Iliad, Niobe had six sons and six daughters and boasted of her progenitive superiority to the Titan Leto, who had only two children, the twin deities Apollo and Artemis. As punishment for her pride, Apollo killed all Niobe’s sons and Artemis killed all her daughters.
Who was the Pythia and what did she do?
Pythia were highly regarded, for it was believed that she channeled prophecies from Apollo himself, while steeped in a dreamlike trance. Originally the god was channeled only once a year, but at the height of its popularity up to three Pythiai were known to hold office.
How old is Pythia?
The Pythia was established at the latest in the 8th century BC, (though some estimates date the shrine to as early as 1400 BC), and was widely credited for her prophecies uttered under divine possession (enthusiasmos) by Apollo.
How accurate was the Oracle of Delphi?
Some of the predictions were surprisingly accurate, according to legend. Croesus, the richest man of his time, performed a kind of scientific test on oracles, when he had messengers go out to all of them and ask what he would be doing on a certain date. Delphi got the only correct answer – cooking a tortoise in a pot.
Who was the first Pythia?
According to tradition, Phemonoe was the first Pythia. Though little is known of how the priestess was chosen, the Pythia was probably selected, at the death of her predecessor, from amongst a guild of priestesses of the temple.