Delving Into Delphi’s History
Hello! We are Rachel and Briallen from FGCU and we are so excited to
be going on this summer’s Adventure Abroad trip! We are two Theatre majors
in our junior years, with Rachel also being an Education minor. The city we chose
to cover for our blog is Delphi- including the Apollo Theatre, the Delphi
Archeological Museum, and Ancient Theatre. We both found these topics interesting
not only because of our love for theatre, but our passion for history and the
development of the arts in all forms through different cultures. The city of Delphi
is located on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus, overlooking the valley
of Phocis. It is now an extensive archaeological site with a small modern town of
the same name nearby (“Delphi”).
be going on this summer’s Adventure Abroad trip! We are two Theatre majors
in our junior years, with Rachel also being an Education minor. The city we chose
to cover for our blog is Delphi- including the Apollo Theatre, the Delphi
Archeological Museum, and Ancient Theatre. We both found these topics interesting
not only because of our love for theatre, but our passion for history and the
development of the arts in all forms through different cultures. The city of Delphi
is located on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus, overlooking the valley
of Phocis. It is now an extensive archaeological site with a small modern town of
the same name nearby (“Delphi”).
The tholos (circular building) built around 390 BC at Marmaria, Delphi, Greece (“Britannica”)
The Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo is located on the Southern slopes of the Parnassos
mountain. Constructed around the 7th century BC., the temple is in a ruinous
state today and has a tumultuous history. It has been rebuilt a few times in its
history, including after a fire in the 6th century B.C, and again in 330 BC after
being destroyed by an earthquake in 373 BC. Like the original, this temple was also
of the Doric order, having six columns at the front, and fifteen columns at the flanks.
The sculptures on the pediment were the creation of Athenian sculptors Praxias and
Androsthenes (Sakoulas).
mountain. Constructed around the 7th century BC., the temple is in a ruinous
state today and has a tumultuous history. It has been rebuilt a few times in its
history, including after a fire in the 6th century B.C, and again in 330 BC after
being destroyed by an earthquake in 373 BC. Like the original, this temple was also
of the Doric order, having six columns at the front, and fifteen columns at the flanks.
The sculptures on the pediment were the creation of Athenian sculptors Praxias and
Androsthenes (Sakoulas).
FUN FACT! Today, not only do the foundations of the temple survive, but so do several
Doric columns made of porous stone and limestone.
Doric columns made of porous stone and limestone.
FUN FACT! Very little is known about the temple's interior arrangement.
Temple of Apollo Doric columns (Sakoulas)
Delphi Archaeological Museum
The Delphi Archaeological Museum is one of the principal museums of Greece.
Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries
made at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which date from the Late Helladic
period to the early Byzantine era. It is organized into fourteen rooms on two levels.
The museum mainly displays statues, architectural elements, and ex votos dedicated
to the sanctuary of Pythian Apollo. At first, the museum was rather small and designed
to be more to the pleasure of the eyes than to any educational purpose. The museum
underwent multiple phases but, currently, it has a contemporary style, a new lobby, a
large cafeteria, and a gift shop. The collection was rearranged in order to reconcile the
need to display the main attractions of the museum effectively and the wish to present
the latest theories and discoveries of archaeological and historical
scholarships (“Ministry”).
Founded in 1903, it has been rearranged several times and houses the discoveries
made at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which date from the Late Helladic
period to the early Byzantine era. It is organized into fourteen rooms on two levels.
The museum mainly displays statues, architectural elements, and ex votos dedicated
to the sanctuary of Pythian Apollo. At first, the museum was rather small and designed
to be more to the pleasure of the eyes than to any educational purpose. The museum
underwent multiple phases but, currently, it has a contemporary style, a new lobby, a
large cafeteria, and a gift shop. The collection was rearranged in order to reconcile the
need to display the main attractions of the museum effectively and the wish to present
the latest theories and discoveries of archaeological and historical
scholarships (“Ministry”).
FUN FACT! The collections of the Delphi Archaeological Museum are arranged
chronologically in the fourteen rooms, with Rooms One and Two having the most
ancient objects, and Room Fourteen being devoted to the final years of the sanctuary.
chronologically in the fourteen rooms, with Rooms One and Two having the most
ancient objects, and Room Fourteen being devoted to the final years of the sanctuary.
FUN FACT! An effort was also made in the new museum to illustrate neglected
exhibits like the classical facade of the Temple of Apollo
The Delphi Archaeological Museum (Kerry)exhibits like the classical facade of the Temple of Apollo
Ancient Theatre
The Ancient Theatre in Delphi is beautifully situated above the Temple of
Apollo, which provided audiences with a stunning view of the Temple and
the surrounding scenery. The stone theatre that we see today theatre was built
in the 4th century B.C.using the limestone from the mountain it is situated on,
Mount Parnassus (Greekacom). It was built so it could host musical contests
and events of the Pythian Games. The structure of the theatre has is similar to
some of the other Classic Greek theatres. The audience members are in stone seats
above the orchestra and stagefor optimal viewing. Although, some of the stone seats
that are located in the first few rows of the theatre did not get added until around 160
B.C. during the Roman and Hellenistic Eras. The Ancient Theatre has 35 rows and
can seat 5000 spectators (Sakoulas)! This theatre is also unevenly split into the upper
and lower sections by the diazoma, which was a passage that made the movement of
audience members in and out of the theatre easier. Today it is still used to perform
plays and host other events, mostly during the summer.
Apollo, which provided audiences with a stunning view of the Temple and
the surrounding scenery. The stone theatre that we see today theatre was built
in the 4th century B.C.using the limestone from the mountain it is situated on,
Mount Parnassus (Greekacom). It was built so it could host musical contests
and events of the Pythian Games. The structure of the theatre has is similar to
some of the other Classic Greek theatres. The audience members are in stone seats
above the orchestra and stagefor optimal viewing. Although, some of the stone seats
that are located in the first few rows of the theatre did not get added until around 160
B.C. during the Roman and Hellenistic Eras. The Ancient Theatre has 35 rows and
can seat 5000 spectators (Sakoulas)! This theatre is also unevenly split into the upper
and lower sections by the diazoma, which was a passage that made the movement of
audience members in and out of the theatre easier. Today it is still used to perform
plays and host other events, mostly during the summer.
Ancient Theatre of Delphi
FUN FACT! The original structure of the theatre is unknown, though it is believed that
audience members sat in wooden seats or on the ground.
audience members sat in wooden seats or on the ground.
FUN FACT! Inscriptions commemorating the emancipation of slaves were written on the
wall of the parodoi sometime between the 2nd BC and 1st AD.
wall of the parodoi sometime between the 2nd BC and 1st AD.
FUN FACT! The Pythian Games, the main event held at the Ancient Theatre, were
held every eight years. The only competitions were musical ones where soloist had to
accompany themselves on a kithara, and ancient instrument in the Lyre family. Eventually
more games of athletic nature were added, and soon these games turned into the Olympic
Games (Cartwright).
held every eight years. The only competitions were musical ones where soloist had to
accompany themselves on a kithara, and ancient instrument in the Lyre family. Eventually
more games of athletic nature were added, and soon these games turned into the Olympic
Games (Cartwright).
Kithara, instrument used by competition sololists
Works Cited
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Delphi.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 Dec. 2018,
www.britannica.com/place/Delphi-ancient-city-Greece.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 Dec. 2018,
www.britannica.com/place/Delphi-ancient-city-Greece.
Cartwright, Mark. “Delphi.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia,
23 May 2019, www.ancient.eu/delphi/.
23 May 2019, www.ancient.eu/delphi/.
“Delphi.” Visit Greece | Delphi, www.visitgreece.gr/en/culture/world_heritage_sites/delphi.
Greekacom. “Ancient Theatre in Delphi, Greece.” Greekacom, +Greekacom,
www.greeka.com/sterea/delphi/sightseeing/ancient-theatre/.
www.greeka.com/sterea/delphi/sightseeing/ancient-theatre/.
Kerry Kolasa-Sikiaridi. News from Greece, 20 Aug. 2016,
greece.greekreporter.com/2016/08/20/myths-in-our-hands-exhibit-
at-archaeological-museum-of-delphi/.
greece.greekreporter.com/2016/08/20/myths-in-our-hands-exhibit-
at-archaeological-museum-of-delphi/.
Ministry of Culture and Sports | Delphi Archaeological Museum,
odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh151.jsp?obj_id=3404.
odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh151.jsp?obj_id=3404.
Sakoulas, Thomas. “Delphi Theater.” Delphi Theater,
ancient-greece.org/architecture/delphi-theater.html.
ancient-greece.org/architecture/delphi-theater.html.
Sakoulas, Thomas. “Temple of Apollo at Delphi.” Temple of Apollo at Delphi,
ancient-greece.org/architecture/delphi-temple-of-apollo.html.
ancient-greece.org/architecture/delphi-temple-of-apollo.html.
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