Delphi

There are so many interesting places in Greece it is hard to say which is my favourite.  But Delphi must be one of them.  I have long heard of the oracle at Delphi, who prophesied that a great empire would be destroyed upon King Croesus of Lydia’s enquiry prior to his crossing of the river to attack Persia - which turned out to be his own.  Pythia was the oracle at Delphi, who spoke for Apollo.  The exact location of the oracle is said to be on the outside of the Temple of Apollo.   The ruins of the temple is there on the hillside today, overlooking the valley.  Unfortunately, the site of the oracle is unreachable.  

Straight above the Temple of Apollo is the theatre, which is largely intact.  Really really impressive.  Particularly considering that it was built more than 2,500 years ago and it is still standing, and functional.  

There are numerous buildings belonging to the many city states that came to Delphi to worship at the Temple of Apollo, and to consult the oracle.  One of them is called the Treasury of Athens.  

On the foundations of the Treasury there is an inscription in reference to Marathon.  

I am not quite sure whether it is a reference to the Battle of Marathon itself, when the Greeks defeated the Persians in 480 BC, or to Philippides who ran from Marathon to Athens to report the victory, then collapsed and died.  

In any case, many of my dreams came true here at Delphi.