{"id":427,"date":"2025-04-27T01:51:22","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T01:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=427"},"modified":"2025-05-14T05:11:04","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T05:11:04","slug":"island-of-delos","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/chapter\/island-of-delos\/","title":{"rendered":"Island of Delos"},"content":{"raw":"<h3>Introduction<\/h3>\r\nThe island of Delos held major religious and historical significance for centuries.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_450\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-300x250.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-450\" \/> 1911 map of Delos Sacred Area[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe island's claim to its religious significance comes from the myth of Artemis and Apollo\u2019s birth. The floating island of Delos being the only place their mother Leto could give birth. Although Artemis also has cult worship on the island, Apollo dominated more of the attention. The Sacred Area of Delos holds many temples and other structures but there are also other sites on the island. The Sacred Area includes temples to Artemis and Apollo, the Temple of Leto, temples to several other Greek gods, and other structures such as the Treasuries and the Lion Terrace.\u00a0 Delos\u2019s religious significance also meant it was an attractive choice after the Persian Invasion of Greece and served as the Delian Leagues\u2019 meeting place and also gave the League its name.\r\n\r\nThe excavations of Delos are across the island began in 1872 by the French School at Athens and are still ongoing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_451\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"373\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"373\" height=\"245\" class=\"wp-image-451 \" \/> 'The Sacred Way in Delos, Greece' 2011 photograph by\u00a0Bernard Gagnon[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h3>What happened there?<\/h3>\r\nDelos was a major pilgrimage site for centuries. Apollo received the most attention but Artemis, Leto, and Eileithyia were also prominent. While this report focuses on the Sacred Area the whole island was considered sacred. Delos did not only have worship of Greek gods and goddesses. There were also Egyptian cults such as Serapis and Isis, and what is credited as the first diasporic synagogue.\r\n<h4>Oracle - yes or no?<\/h4>\r\nWhile Delos was a major center of worship of Apollo, whether or not that extended to an oracle is debated. Some claim that Delos held an oracle second only to the one at <a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/chapter\/the-castalian-spring-water-and-ritual-in-ancient-delphi\/\">Delphi<\/a> and some claim that there was no oracle at all. Literary sources maintain that there were oracular practices on Delos but did not record any specific practices or prophecies. The reputation of Delos as an oracular site seems to have increased in the Roman period despite the island's reputation as being abandoned in that era. Archaeological evidence, \u201cCoins, pottery, and dated inscriptions attest to almost continuous habitation on the island, a continuity which lasted at least until the seventh century A.D.\u201d[footnote]Den Adel \u201cApollo\u2019s Prophecies at Delos.\u201d 291[\/footnote] Overall it appears that even though Delos was a site for oracular activity, it was certainly not the island's main claim to fame.\r\n<h4>The Delian Games<\/h4>\r\nThe Delian Games were described by Thucydides in his history of the Pepolonesian war. Thucydides describes the games as having been revived by Athens at the end of the sixth year of the war after being neglected for a long time but claims that the Homeric hymn to Delian Apollo proves that there was an ancient festival. The games the Athenians initiate are based off of the description of the games found in the hymn but with some changes, such as the addition of horseracing contests.\r\n\r\nThe Athenian versions of the games were once every four years and like other games included athletics, poetry and music contests. There had been an annual festival before, and possibly during, the era of Athenian Delian Games.[footnote]Arnold \u201cLocal Festivals at Delos.\u201d 453[\/footnote] As a festival mainly dedicated to Apollo, although Artemis and Leto both were worshiped, music held a significant role. Each city would compete and send a chorus and Delos had its own more permanent chorus. The festival was attended by men, women, and children. Thucydidies describes it as being, \u201cjust as the Ionians now go to the festival at Ephesus\u201d[footnote]Thucydides 3.104[\/footnote]. Another part of the festival was the \u2018Delian dance of the women\u2019, where, \u201cthe girls of Delos, hand-maidens of the Far-shooter; for when they have praised Apollo first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, [160] they sing a strain telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth is their sweet song.\u201d[footnote]\"Evelyn-White translation of the Hymn to Delian Apollo\" lines 155-164[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nIn Thucydides' narrative of the history of the Delian Games the games were a significant event in the era of Homer and before but fell off for some time before being revived by Athens at the end of the sixth year of the Pepolonesian war. In the time that the games had faded Thycidies says that, \u201cthe islanders and the Athenians still sent choruses and sacred offerings, but the contests and most of the other ceremonies were discontinued, probably because of the difficulties of the times\u201d.[footnote]Thucydides 3.104[\/footnote] That the choruses continued when other practices did not suggests that they were of particular importance.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_509\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-300x175.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"175\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-509\" \/> 1547 Map of Delos and Rhenia by Bordone Benetto[\/caption]\r\n<h3>Athenian 'purifications'<\/h3>\r\nAthens\u2019s had a long relationship with Delos, there were many important moments of this but some of the most significant were Athens\u2019 \u2018purifications\u2019 of Delos. The first purification occurred in 425 BCE. All burials on the island were exhumed, and this process appears to have been effectively executed. Future births, deaths, and burials were also banned on the island. The burials were moved to Delos\u2019s sister island of Rhenia and individuals were also supposed to travel to Rhenia before they died or gave birth. This obviously was more than a little inconvenient for the Delians themselves. The second major purification would take place in 422 BCE, when the Athenians expelled the Delians from their island. Athens then sent Athenians to take over all religious and secular administration of the island.\r\n<blockquote>\u201cDuring the armistice the Athenians expelled the Delians from Delos, thinking that, because of some crime committed in the past, they had been in a state of pollution when they were consecrated and that it was this which they had omitted to attend to at the time of the previous ceremony of purification when, as I have already described, they removed the tombs of the dead and considered that in this way the purification had been properly carried out. As for the Delians, Pharnaces gave them the town or Atramyttium in Asia, and here they settled just as they arrived from Delos.\u201d[footnote]Thucydides 5.1[\/footnote]<\/blockquote>\r\nWhen Rome took over Greece they gave Delos to Athens to administer as a free port. The island was attacked and looted in 88 BCE and 69 BCE leading it to being eventually abandoned. Currently the island is a museum and archeological site and has no permanent residents.\r\n<h3>Structures<\/h3>\r\nThe Sacred Area on Delos contained many temples and other structures. Apollo, Artemis, and their mother Leto were of special importance. There were also several treasuries, stoa, and agora.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_447\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"638\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-300x203.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"638\" height=\"432\" class=\" wp-image-447\" \/> Color coded and numbered Map of Delos Sacred Area[\/caption]\r\n\r\n[footnote]Key:\u00a0 1. Delian Temple of Apollo 2. Athenian Temple of Apollo 3. Poros Temple of Apollo 4. Colossus of the Naxians 5. Temple of Artemis 6. Keraton 7. Treasuries 8. House of the Naxians 9. Ekklesiasterion 10. Thesmophoreion 11. Stoa of the Naxians 12. Bouleuterion 13. Prytaneion 14. Neorion or Bull Monument 15. Stoa of Antigonus 16. Propylon 17. Sacred Road 18. Agora of the Delians 19. South Stoa 20. Stoa of Philippus 21. Agora of the Competaliasts 22. Agora of Theophrastus 23. Hypostyle Hall or Stoa of Poseidon 24. Sacred Lake 25. Lion Terrace 26. Temple of Leto 27. Temple of Twelve Gods 28. Agora of Italians 29. Sanctuary of Dionysus or Stoibadeion 30. Sacred Harbour[\/footnote]\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left\">Legend<\/h4>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99\">Archaic period<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #ffdd00\">Classical period<\/span> \u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #ffb999\">Hellenistic period<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #e0a2e0\">Roman period<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<h4>Apollo's Temples<\/h4>\r\nIn the Sacred Area on Delos there are three temples to Apollo in his sanctuary, the Delian Temple of Apollo (1), the Athenian Temple of Apollo (2) and the Poros Temple of Apollo (3). Interestingly rather than being built on top of one another the three temples were built side by side.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_458\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-458\" \/> Poros Temple of Apollo photograph by Olaf Tausch[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe Poros Temple was the archaic temple and served as the main temple until it was replaced by the Delian Temple of Apollo, also called the Great Temple, around 280. The Poros Temple is the smallest of the three and is a simple Anta style temple.\r\n\r\nThe Athenian Temple of Apollo, or Temple of the Athenians, is between the two and was built following the purification of 425 BCE when the Athenians removed all burials from the island and forbade anyone from being born or dying there moving forward. The amphiprostyle temple has a semi circle detail in the main room.\r\n\r\nThe third and largest temple is the Delian Temple of Apollo, or the\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_459\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-459\" \/> 19th century pen-and-wash restoration of the Delian Temple[\/caption]\r\n\r\nTemple of the Delians. It is the only peripteral temple on Delos, and is six Doric columns by thirteen columns. The temple began construction when the Delian League was founded in 478 BCE, paused when the leagues treasury was relocated to Athens and was only deemed complete around 280 BCE although some details were never finished.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Terrace of the Lions<\/h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-463\" \/> Terrace of the Lions 2010 photography by User:Ggia[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the most recognizable structures on Delos is the Terrace of the Lions. The terrace was built by the Naxians and consists of nine to twelve lion statues that face the Sacred Lake. Currently only five remain at the site along with fragments of three.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_464\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"222\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-222x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-464\" \/> The Delos Lion of the Arsenale in Venice, Italy. Photograph by Didier Descouens[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnother lion was looted and now resides outside the Arsenale in Venice. Its head was replaced in the 17th century in a style noticeably different from its siblings.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Artifacts<\/h4>\r\nRoman statues found on Delos. The \"Diadoumenos\" and \u201cPseudo-Athlete of Delos\u201d statues from 1st century BCE. The statues are now housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_494\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-494\" \/> Diadoumenos statue now at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_495\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-495\" \/> A Mykonian laborer poses between two important Roman (1st c. BC) statues, shortly after their discovery in 1894: the \u201cPseudo-Athlete of Delos\u201d (left) and the \u201cDiadoumenos\u201d (right, a Roman-era copy of a 5th c. BC bronze by Polyclitus).[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSilver coins minted on Delos, showing iconography of Apollo.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_498\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-300x152.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"152\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-498\" \/> Silver coin minted on Delos, showing a lyre. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_499\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]<img src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-499\" \/> Silver coin minted on Delos. Apollo's head on one side and a lyre on the other. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"bib-output-html\" class=\"ng-binding\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">References<\/p>\r\nDen Adel, Raymond. 1983. Apollo's prophecies at delos. The Classical World 76 (5): 288\u201390,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4349472\"> http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4349472<\/a>.\r\n\r\nHomer. Homeric Hymn to Apollo. Translated by Evelyn-White, Hugh G: ,<a href=\"http:\/\/data.perseus.org\/citations\/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.perseus-eng1:131-178\">http:\/\/data.perseus.org\/citations\/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.perseus-eng1:131-178<\/a>.\r\n\r\nMikalson, Jon D. 1998. Athens and d\u00e9los. In Religion in hellenistic athens. 1st ed. Vol. 29, 208\u2013241 University of California Press,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/jj.8501271.11\"> http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/jj.8501271.11<\/a> .\r\n\r\nMoyer, Ian S. 2011. Egypt and the limits of hellenism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,<a href=\"http:\/\/ebookcentral.proquest.com\/lib\/conncoll\/detail.action?docID=803152\"> http:\/\/ebookcentral.proquest.com\/lib\/conncoll\/detail.action?docID=803152<\/a>.\r\n\r\nPollini, Airton, and Sophie Montel. 2008. EUROPE, SOUTH | greece. In Encyclopedia of archaeology., ed. Deborah M. Pearsall, 1253\u20131267. New York: Academic Press,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B978012373962900056X\"> https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B978012373962900056X<\/a> .\r\n\r\nThucydides. The Peloponnesian War. Translated by Warner, Rex, Penguin Classics.\r\n\r\nWoodhead, A. G. 1959. The institution of the hellenotamiae. The Journal of Hellenic Studies 79 : 149\u201352.\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<h3>Introduction<\/h3>\n<p>The island of Delos held major religious and historical significance for centuries.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_450\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-450\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-300x250.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-65x54.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-225x187.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo-350x291.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-EB1911_Delos_-_Precinct_of_Apollo.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-450\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">1911 map of Delos Sacred Area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The island&#8217;s claim to its religious significance comes from the myth of Artemis and Apollo\u2019s birth. The floating island of Delos being the only place their mother Leto could give birth. Although Artemis also has cult worship on the island, Apollo dominated more of the attention. The Sacred Area of Delos holds many temples and other structures but there are also other sites on the island. The Sacred Area includes temples to Artemis and Apollo, the Temple of Leto, temples to several other Greek gods, and other structures such as the Treasuries and the Lion Terrace.\u00a0 Delos\u2019s religious significance also meant it was an attractive choice after the Persian Invasion of Greece and served as the Delian Leagues\u2019 meeting place and also gave the League its name.<\/p>\n<p>The excavations of Delos are across the island began in 1872 by the French School at Athens and are still ongoing.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_451\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-451\" style=\"width: 373px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"373\" height=\"245\" class=\"wp-image-451\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-1536x1011.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-65x43.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-225x148.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04-350x230.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/2048px-Sacred_Way_Delos_04.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-451\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">&#8216;The Sacred Way in Delos, Greece&#8217; 2011 photograph by\u00a0Bernard Gagnon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What happened there?<\/h3>\n<p>Delos was a major pilgrimage site for centuries. Apollo received the most attention but Artemis, Leto, and Eileithyia were also prominent. While this report focuses on the Sacred Area the whole island was considered sacred. Delos did not only have worship of Greek gods and goddesses. There were also Egyptian cults such as Serapis and Isis, and what is credited as the first diasporic synagogue.<\/p>\n<h4>Oracle &#8211; yes or no?<\/h4>\n<p>While Delos was a major center of worship of Apollo, whether or not that extended to an oracle is debated. Some claim that Delos held an oracle second only to the one at <a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/chapter\/the-castalian-spring-water-and-ritual-in-ancient-delphi\/\">Delphi<\/a> and some claim that there was no oracle at all. Literary sources maintain that there were oracular practices on Delos but did not record any specific practices or prophecies. The reputation of Delos as an oracular site seems to have increased in the Roman period despite the island&#8217;s reputation as being abandoned in that era. Archaeological evidence, \u201cCoins, pottery, and dated inscriptions attest to almost continuous habitation on the island, a continuity which lasted at least until the seventh century A.D.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Den Adel \u201cApollo\u2019s Prophecies at Delos.\u201d 291\" id=\"return-footnote-427-1\" href=\"#footnote-427-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> Overall it appears that even though Delos was a site for oracular activity, it was certainly not the island&#8217;s main claim to fame.<\/p>\n<h4>The Delian Games<\/h4>\n<p>The Delian Games were described by Thucydides in his history of the Pepolonesian war. Thucydides describes the games as having been revived by Athens at the end of the sixth year of the war after being neglected for a long time but claims that the Homeric hymn to Delian Apollo proves that there was an ancient festival. The games the Athenians initiate are based off of the description of the games found in the hymn but with some changes, such as the addition of horseracing contests.<\/p>\n<p>The Athenian versions of the games were once every four years and like other games included athletics, poetry and music contests. There had been an annual festival before, and possibly during, the era of Athenian Delian Games.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Arnold \u201cLocal Festivals at Delos.\u201d 453\" id=\"return-footnote-427-2\" href=\"#footnote-427-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a> As a festival mainly dedicated to Apollo, although Artemis and Leto both were worshiped, music held a significant role. Each city would compete and send a chorus and Delos had its own more permanent chorus. The festival was attended by men, women, and children. Thucydidies describes it as being, \u201cjust as the Ionians now go to the festival at Ephesus\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Thucydides 3.104\" id=\"return-footnote-427-3\" href=\"#footnote-427-3\" aria-label=\"Footnote 3\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[3]<\/sup><\/a>. Another part of the festival was the \u2018Delian dance of the women\u2019, where, \u201cthe girls of Delos, hand-maidens of the Far-shooter; for when they have praised Apollo first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, [160] they sing a strain telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth is their sweet song.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"&quot;Evelyn-White translation of the Hymn to Delian Apollo&quot; lines 155-164\" id=\"return-footnote-427-4\" href=\"#footnote-427-4\" aria-label=\"Footnote 4\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>In Thucydides&#8217; narrative of the history of the Delian Games the games were a significant event in the era of Homer and before but fell off for some time before being revived by Athens at the end of the sixth year of the Pepolonesian war. In the time that the games had faded Thycidies says that, \u201cthe islanders and the Athenians still sent choruses and sacred offerings, but the contests and most of the other ceremonies were discontinued, probably because of the difficulties of the times\u201d.<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Thucydides 3.104\" id=\"return-footnote-427-5\" href=\"#footnote-427-5\" aria-label=\"Footnote 5\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[5]<\/sup><\/a> That the choruses continued when other practices did not suggests that they were of particular importance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_509\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-509\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-300x175.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"175\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-768x447.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-65x38.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-225x131.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547-350x204.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/Map_of_Delos_-_Bordone_Benedetto_-_1547.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-509\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">1547 Map of Delos and Rhenia by Bordone Benetto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Athenian &#8216;purifications&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>Athens\u2019s had a long relationship with Delos, there were many important moments of this but some of the most significant were Athens\u2019 \u2018purifications\u2019 of Delos. The first purification occurred in 425 BCE. All burials on the island were exhumed, and this process appears to have been effectively executed. Future births, deaths, and burials were also banned on the island. The burials were moved to Delos\u2019s sister island of Rhenia and individuals were also supposed to travel to Rhenia before they died or gave birth. This obviously was more than a little inconvenient for the Delians themselves. The second major purification would take place in 422 BCE, when the Athenians expelled the Delians from their island. Athens then sent Athenians to take over all religious and secular administration of the island.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDuring the armistice the Athenians expelled the Delians from Delos, thinking that, because of some crime committed in the past, they had been in a state of pollution when they were consecrated and that it was this which they had omitted to attend to at the time of the previous ceremony of purification when, as I have already described, they removed the tombs of the dead and considered that in this way the purification had been properly carried out. As for the Delians, Pharnaces gave them the town or Atramyttium in Asia, and here they settled just as they arrived from Delos.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Thucydides 5.1\" id=\"return-footnote-427-6\" href=\"#footnote-427-6\" aria-label=\"Footnote 6\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>When Rome took over Greece they gave Delos to Athens to administer as a free port. The island was attacked and looted in 88 BCE and 69 BCE leading it to being eventually abandoned. Currently the island is a museum and archeological site and has no permanent residents.<\/p>\n<h3>Structures<\/h3>\n<p>The Sacred Area on Delos contained many temples and other structures. Apollo, Artemis, and their mother Leto were of special importance. There were also several treasuries, stoa, and agora.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_447\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-447\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-300x203.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"638\" height=\"432\" class=\"wp-image-447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-65x44.png 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-225x152.png 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_-350x237.png 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Plan_Delos_Sacred_Area_colored.svg1_.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-447\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Color coded and numbered Map of Delos Sacred Area<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Key:\u00a0 1. Delian Temple of Apollo 2. Athenian Temple of Apollo 3. Poros Temple of Apollo 4. Colossus of the Naxians 5. Temple of Artemis 6. Keraton 7. Treasuries 8. House of the Naxians 9. Ekklesiasterion 10. Thesmophoreion 11. Stoa of the Naxians 12. Bouleuterion 13. Prytaneion 14. Neorion or Bull Monument 15. Stoa of Antigonus 16. Propylon 17. Sacred Road 18. Agora of the Delians 19. South Stoa 20. Stoa of Philippus 21. Agora of the Competaliasts 22. Agora of Theophrastus 23. Hypostyle Hall or Stoa of Poseidon 24. Sacred Lake 25. Lion Terrace 26. Temple of Leto 27. Temple of Twelve Gods 28. Agora of Italians 29. Sanctuary of Dionysus or Stoibadeion 30. Sacred Harbour\" id=\"return-footnote-427-7\" href=\"#footnote-427-7\" aria-label=\"Footnote 7\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left\">Legend<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99\">Archaic period<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #ffdd00\">Classical period<\/span> \u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #ffb999\">Hellenistic period<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"background-color: #e0a2e0\">Roman period<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Apollo&#8217;s Temples<\/h4>\n<p>In the Sacred Area on Delos there are three temples to Apollo in his sanctuary, the Delian Temple of Apollo (1), the Athenian Temple of Apollo (2) and the Poros Temple of Apollo (3). Interestingly rather than being built on top of one another the three temples were built side by side.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_458\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-458\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-458\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02-350x263.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-Delos_Poros-Tempel_02.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-458\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Poros Temple of Apollo photograph by Olaf Tausch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Poros Temple was the archaic temple and served as the main temple until it was replaced by the Delian Temple of Apollo, also called the Great Temple, around 280. The Poros Temple is the smallest of the three and is a simple Anta style temple.<\/p>\n<p>The Athenian Temple of Apollo, or Temple of the Athenians, is between the two and was built following the purification of 425 BCE when the Athenians removed all burials from the island and forbade anyone from being born or dying there moving forward. The amphiprostyle temple has a semi circle detail in the main room.<\/p>\n<p>The third and largest temple is the Delian Temple of Apollo, or the<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_459\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-459\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-300x235.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"235\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-300x235.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-65x51.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-225x176.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos-350x274.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/TempleDelos.jpg 613w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-459\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">19th century pen-and-wash restoration of the Delian Temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Temple of the Delians. It is the only peripteral temple on Delos, and is six Doric columns by thirteen columns. The temple began construction when the Delian League was founded in 478 BCE, paused when the leagues treasury was relocated to Athens and was only deemed complete around 280 BCE although some details were never finished.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Terrace of the Lions<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_463\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-463\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-65x43.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-225x150.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-20100706_Terrace_of_the_Lions_Delos_Cyclades_Greece.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-463\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Terrace of the Lions 2010 photography by User:Ggia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One of the most recognizable structures on Delos is the Terrace of the Lions. The terrace was built by the Naxians and consists of nine to twelve lion statues that face the Sacred Lake. Currently only five remain at the site along with fragments of three.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_464\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-464\" style=\"width: 222px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-222x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-222x300.jpg 222w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-758x1024.jpg 758w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-768x1037.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-65x88.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-225x304.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale-350x473.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/1024px-3e_leone_dellarsenale.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-464\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Delos Lion of the Arsenale in Venice, Italy. Photograph by Didier Descouens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Another lion was looted and now resides outside the Arsenale in Venice. Its head was replaced in the 17th century in a style noticeably different from its siblings.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Artifacts<\/h4>\n<p>Roman statues found on Delos. The &#8220;Diadoumenos&#8221; and \u201cPseudo-Athlete of Delos\u201d statues from 1st century BCE. The statues are now housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_494\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-494\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-494\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-65x98.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-225x338.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018-350x525.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-Statue_of_a_youth_Diadoumenos_ca.100_B.C._in_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_30_August_2018.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-494\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Diadoumenos statue now at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_495\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-495\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-300x211.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"211\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-65x46.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-225x158.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135-350x246.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/512px-\u0395\u03a3\u038f\u03a6\u03a5\u039b\u039b\u039f_\u03c4\u03bf\u03c5_\u03b2\u03b9\u03b2\u03bb\u03af\u03bf\u03c5_\u0391\u03c1\u03c7\u03b1\u03af\u03b1_\u0395\u03bb\u03bb\u03ac\u03b4\u03b1_\u03c3\u03b5\u03bb._4\u20135.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-495\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Mykonian laborer poses between two important Roman (1st c. BC) statues, shortly after their discovery in 1894: the \u201cPseudo-Athlete of Delos\u201d (left) and the \u201cDiadoumenos\u201d (right, a Roman-era copy of a 5th c. BC bronze by Polyclitus).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Silver coins minted on Delos, showing iconography of Apollo.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_498\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-498\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-300x152.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"152\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-300x152.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-768x390.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-65x33.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-225x114.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001-350x178.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01466133_001.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-498\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Silver coin minted on Delos, showing a lyre. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_499\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-499\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-300x167.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"167\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-499\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-768x428.jpg 768w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-65x36.jpg 65w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-225x125.jpg 225w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001-350x195.jpg 350w, https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/files\/2025\/04\/mid_01425330_001.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-499\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Silver coin minted on Delos. Apollo&#8217;s head on one side and a lyre on the other. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"bib-output-html\" class=\"ng-binding\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">References<\/p>\n<p>Den Adel, Raymond. 1983. Apollo&#8217;s prophecies at delos. The Classical World 76 (5): 288\u201390,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4349472\"> http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4349472<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Homer. Homeric Hymn to Apollo. Translated by Evelyn-White, Hugh G: ,<a href=\"http:\/\/data.perseus.org\/citations\/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.perseus-eng1:131-178\">http:\/\/data.perseus.org\/citations\/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.perseus-eng1:131-178<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mikalson, Jon D. 1998. Athens and d\u00e9los. In Religion in hellenistic athens. 1st ed. Vol. 29, 208\u2013241 University of California Press,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/jj.8501271.11\"> http:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/jj.8501271.11<\/a> .<\/p>\n<p>Moyer, Ian S. 2011. Egypt and the limits of hellenism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,<a href=\"http:\/\/ebookcentral.proquest.com\/lib\/conncoll\/detail.action?docID=803152\"> http:\/\/ebookcentral.proquest.com\/lib\/conncoll\/detail.action?docID=803152<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Pollini, Airton, and Sophie Montel. 2008. EUROPE, SOUTH | greece. In Encyclopedia of archaeology., ed. Deborah M. Pearsall, 1253\u20131267. New York: Academic Press,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B978012373962900056X\"> https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B978012373962900056X<\/a> .<\/p>\n<p>Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War. Translated by Warner, Rex, Penguin Classics.<\/p>\n<p>Woodhead, A. G. 1959. The institution of the hellenotamiae. The Journal of Hellenic Studies 79 : 149\u201352.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-427-1\">Den Adel \u201cApollo\u2019s Prophecies at Delos.\u201d 291 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-2\">Arnold \u201cLocal Festivals at Delos.\u201d 453 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-3\">Thucydides 3.104 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-3\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 3\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-4\">\"Evelyn-White translation of the Hymn to Delian Apollo\" lines 155-164 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-4\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 4\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-5\">Thucydides 3.104 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-5\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 5\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-6\">Thucydides 5.1 <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-6\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 6\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-427-7\">Key:\u00a0 1. Delian Temple of Apollo 2. Athenian Temple of Apollo 3. Poros Temple of Apollo 4. Colossus of the Naxians 5. Temple of Artemis 6. Keraton 7. Treasuries 8. House of the Naxians 9. Ekklesiasterion 10. Thesmophoreion 11. Stoa of the Naxians 12. Bouleuterion 13. Prytaneion 14. Neorion or Bull Monument 15. Stoa of Antigonus 16. Propylon 17. Sacred Road 18. Agora of the Delians 19. South Stoa 20. Stoa of Philippus 21. Agora of the Competaliasts 22. Agora of Theophrastus 23. Hypostyle Hall or Stoa of Poseidon 24. Sacred Lake 25. Lion Terrace 26. Temple of Leto 27. Temple of Twelve Gods 28. Agora of Italians 29. Sanctuary of Dionysus or Stoibadeion 30. Sacred Harbour <a href=\"#return-footnote-427-7\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 7\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":238,"menu_order":18,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"Island of Delos","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["schapin"],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[76],"license":[],"class_list":["post-427","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-schapin"],"part":77,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/238"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":758,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/427\/revisions\/758"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/77"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/427\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=427"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=427"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openpress.digital.conncoll.edu\/religionsofgreeceandromesitereports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}