Who was the Oracle of Delphi?
The Oracle of Delphi was a priestess who served at the Shrine of Apollo in Delphi, a Greek city. According to archaeological evidence, an oracle was associated with the site as early as the eighth century BCE, with the site being shut down in the fourth century CE because it was deemed inappropriate by the newly Christianized Roman Empire. Numerous contemporaries wrote about the Oracle of Delphi and depicted her in works of art, and she is perhaps one of the most famous and enigmatic figures in Greek culture.
The Oracle of Delphi was a priestess who served at the Shrine of Apollo in Delphi, a Greek city. According to archaeological evidence, an oracle was associated with the site as early as the eighth century BCE, with the site being shut down in the fourth century CE because it was deemed inappropriate by the newly Christianized Roman Empire. Numerous contemporaries wrote about the Oracle of Delphi and depicted her in works of art, and she is perhaps one of the most famous and enigmatic figures in Greek culture. Obviously, a single person didn’t serve at the site for over a thousand years. Instead, the Oracle of Delphi was chosen from among the priestesses of Apollo who served at the shrine. The Oracle had to be of good character, but she might be rich, poor, learned, old, ignorant, or young; the primary criterion appeared to be her potential fitness to serve. Once a woman became the Oracle of Delphi, she took the name Pythia, abandoning her previous life.
