Athens and Delphi in the Classical Period: Exploring a Religious Relationship
- PDF / 635,769 Bytes
- 18 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 7 Downloads / 179 Views
Athens and Delphi in the Classical Period: Exploring a Religious Relationship Hugh Bowden1 Received: 3 August 2020 / Accepted: 11 August 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract In this article, I present an interpretation in religious terms of what Athenians were doing when they went to Delphi as representatives of their city. I begin by briefly outlining the key moments of Athenian involvement with Delphi in the classical period, which is roughly from 479 to 338 BCE, and the general relationship between city and sanctuary. I then look at the activities of the Athenian delegates to the Delphic Amphiktyony, whose responsibilities included representing the city of Athens at the festival of the Pylaia at Anthela and offering sacrifice at Delphi. I then turn to sacred ambassadors coming to consult the oracle, and show that occasions of consultation were festival occasions and that the experience of the theōroi was profoundly religious. I demonstrate that more than any immediate political concerns, maintaining a good relationship with Apollo was central to these activities. Evidence will be drawn largely from inscriptions from Delphi and literary sources from Athens, dating to the period under investigation. Keywords Athens · Delphi · Delphic oracle · Divination · Greek religion
1 Introduction Studies of the relationship between Athens and Delphi usually focus on two important institutions: the Delphic oracle and the Delphic Amphiktyony, and tend to treat Athenian interest in both of them as fundamentally political (e.g. Hornblower 2007; Bowden 2005). However, both of these institutions are associated with the temple and sanctuary of Apollo Pythios at Delphi and are therefore very much religious institutions: the relationship between Athens and Delphi was importantly the relationship between a community and a god. In this article, I will explore the implications of this for our interpretation of what Athenians were doing when they went to Delphi as theōroi, sacred ambassadors for their city. I will begin by briefly outlining * Hugh Bowden [email protected] 1
Department of Classics, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
13
Vol.:(0123456789)
H. Bowden
the key moments of Athenian involvement with Delphi in the classical period, which is from the time of the Persian invasions of Greece in the early fifth century BCE until the defeat of Athens at Chaironeia in 338 BCE. I will then look at the activities of the Athenian delegates to the Delphic Amphiktyony, whose responsibilities included representing the city of Athens at the festival of the Pylaia at Anthela and offering sacrifice at Delphi. I will then turn to theōroi coming to consult the oracle, and show that occasions of consultation were festival occasions and that the experience of the theōroi were profoundly religious. I will demonstrate that more than any immediate political concerns, maintaining a good relationship with Apollo was central to these activities.1 Athenians had been involved with Delphi in the sixth century: Solon, to whom the laws of
Data Loading...
