Location | Delphi, Cyrene, Libya |
---|---|
Type | treasury |
Completion date | ca. 334–322 B.C. |
The Treasury of Cyrene (Treasury of the Cyreneans) was a building in the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi. The treasury was possibly built as a token of gratitude for a large endowment of wheat offered to Delphi's inhabitants during a lean period.
The Treasury of Cyrene was probably the last treasury to have been built within the sanctuary of Apollo. It was oriented towards the Temple of Apollo. [1] Its date of construction is estimated at ca. 334–322 B.C. It was constructed at the eastern part of the precinct, supported by a base (crepis) made of limestone and consisting of three steps. The elevation of the treasury was made of two kinds of marble with provenance from Paros and Mount Pentelikon. It was built in the Doric order, distyle in antis, with a vestibule and a cella. The antae were provided with semi-columns on their interior side. The building was covered by a marble roof, the sima of which was decorated with gargoyles in alternating forms (lion heads and simple tubes). [2] An inscription on the north anta mentions that the Cyreneans were accorded the promanteia by the city of Delphi, as a sign of gratitude for a heavy load of wheat that the former offered the latter during a period of famine. Cyrene was a wheat-producing region throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In front of the treasury there was a small square and to its south was discovered a building which was formerly identified as the prytaneion.
The Castalian Spring, in the ravine between the Phaedriades at Delphi, is where all visitors to Delphi — the contestants in the Pythian Games, and especially pilgrims who came to consult the Delphic Oracle — stopped to wash themselves and quench their thirst; it is also here that the Pythia and the priests cleansed themselves before the oracle-giving process. Finally Roman poets regarded it as a source of poetic inspiration. According to some mythological versions it was here that Apollo killed the monster, Python, who was guarding the spring, and that is why it was considered to be sacred.
The Siphnian Treasury was a building at the Ancient Greek cult centre of Delphi, erected to host the offerings of the polis, or city-state, of Siphnos. It was one of a number of treasuries lining the "Sacred Way", the processional route through the Sanctuary of Apollo, erected to win the favor of the gods and increase the prestige of the donor polis. It was one of the earlier surviving buildings of this type, and its date remains a matter for debate, with the most plausible date being around 525 BC. Until recently it was often confused or conflated with the neighbouring Cnidian Treasury, a similar but less elaborate building, as the remains of the two had become mixed together and earlier theoretical reconstructions used parts of both.
The Stoa of the Athenians is an ancient portico in the Delphic Sanctuary, Greece, located south of the Temple of Apollo. The southern side of the polygonal wall of the platform forms the north wall of the stoa. It was constructed c. 478 BC-470 BC during the early Classical period. The one-aisled stoa with Ionic colonnade opens toward the southeast. It was dedicated by the Athenians after the Persian Wars.
The Lesche of the Knidians was a Lesche, i.e. a club or meeting place, at the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, it is one of those structures there that was destroyed in their most part. Today, the only surviving parts are some architectural relics. It hosted two famous paintings by the famous painter Polygnotus the Thasian, namely the Capture of Troy and the Nekyia. It was built in the second quarter of the 5th century B.C. Apparently a rectangular building bearing a clerestory along its western side and possibly had a tripartite interior arrangement. In the 4th century along its southern side was added a wall for placing ex votos.
The Gymnasium at Delphi is a building complex of the 4th century B.C. at Delphi, Greece which comprised the xystus and the palaestra, along with its auxiliary buildings such as the changing rooms and baths. It was situated between the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia and the fountain Castalia. Some remains of archaic buildings, discovered under the xystus, were possibly related to a sanctuary dedicated to Demeter and indicate the sanctity of the area from earlier times.
The Altar of the Chians was the altar of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, dedicated by the people of Chios.
The Temple of Athena Pronaia was a temple at the ancient site of Delphi, in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia, a group of buildings comprising temples and treasuries as well as the famous Tholos of Delphi. It was actually built thrice. The earlier temples (38°28′49″N22°30′30″E), referred to as A and B, were built in the 7th and 6th centuries BC respectively and were made of porous stone; a third temple (38°28′49″N22°30′28″E) was built of limestone in the 4th century BC, although it is not certain that it actually was dedicated to Athena this time.
The tenth book of the work Description of Greece by the traveler Pausanias is dedicated to Phocis; its larger part constitutes a description of the sanctuaries and buildings of Delphi. His work constituted a precious aid to travelers and archaeologists who attempted to identify the monuments revealed by the excavations, although in some cases their identifications were not enough.
The Stadium of Delphi lies on the highest spot of the Archaeological Site of Delphi. It overlooks the sanctuary of Apollo and has a view to the Delphic Landscape. It was built either within the second half of the 4th century B.C. or even after the Galatian attacks. Its measured 178 meters in length and knew several refurbishment phases. The Stadium of Delphi is the best preserved ancient stadium in Greece.
The Portico of the Aetolians, known also as the Western Portico, is one of the largest buildings of Delphi, situated outside of the sacred precinct of the sanctuary of Apollo.
The Megarian Treasury was a building situated within the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi, to the north of the Siphnian Treasury along the Sacred Way. On its façade have been inscribed 26 inscriptions referring to the citizens of Megara, a fact which led to the secure identification of the monument.
The Treasury of the Sicyonians is one of the buildings with complicated and long history within the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi. The treasury itself replaced two former buildings, namely the tholos and the monopteros, built by the same city at an earlier stage within the 6th century. The earlier buildings were related to the Orthagorids of Sicyon and particularly to the victories of the tyrant Cleisthenes of Sicyon in the course of the First Sacred War and their replacement probably marks the change in tide in Sicyonian politics.
The Treasury of the Boeotians was dedicated in the late Archaic period within the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. It is identified due to some epigraphic material.
After the naval Battle of Aegospotami, the Lacedaemonians dedicated a majestic ex voto in Delphi.
Next to the Bull of the Corcyreans close to the entrance to the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi lay a grandiose monument dedicated by the Arcadians, particularly the Tegeates.
The city of Argos dedicated several ex votos within the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi. It was, after all, one of the most powerful cities of the archaic and classical period.
The Roman Agora is the first building that one encounters nowadays upon entering the archaeological site of the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi.
Behind the column with the Dancers of Delphi was situated the Athenian Treasury, where was located the famous ex voto of Daochos, a long marble base where stood nine statues, eight of which represented members of Daochos' family and one a god, probably Apollo. Daochos II, son of Agias, a politician from Pharsalus and supporter of Macedonia, was a hieromnemon at the delphic sanctuary from 336 to 332 B.C. He dedicated the ex voto as a sign of honour to his prominent family.
The treasury of the Massaliots was situated in the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaea. It looked like a small temple in antis with two columns on the façade; it was constructed of Paros marble and among its remarkable features were its "Aeolian" capitals.
The Treasury of the Thebans at Delphi was built in the Doric order and made entirely out of local limestone from the quarries of St. Elias close to the town of Chrisso. It was situated a few meters below the first turn of the Sacred Way, the processional route in the sanctuary of Apollo. It had been dedicated by the Thebans for their victory against the Lacedaemonians at Leuctra.