Delphi: Centre of the Ancient World

For more than a thousand years, Delphi was considered the centre of the ancient world. Every year a throng of pilgrims climbed the slopes of Mount Parnassus to seek the words of Apollo through the famous Oracle of Delphi. Today Tristan Hughes is joined by Michael Scott to uncover Delphi's story, the sanctuary that shaped the ancient Mediterranean. How did the Pythia become the most famous oracle of antiquity? Why did rulers travel from across the Greek world to seek its guidance? And what can Delphi’s temples, monuments and Olympic-like festivals reveal about the power and influence of this extraordinary sacred site? We're going on TOUR to Australia and New Zealand! - grab your tickets https://fane.com.au/whats-on/an-eveni... 0:00 Introduction 0:30 Who was the Oracle of Delphi? 1:16 Professor Michael Scott's connection to Delphi 3:26 What exactly was the ancient oracle? 4:36 Live show announcement: The Ancients on tour 5:26 The spectacular mountain location of Delphi 8:10 Mythological origins: Why is Delphi the centre of the world? 12:00 How did Delphi maintain its power for centuries? 15:36 Archaeological excavations: Uncovering the lost city 19:17 The evolution of the Temple of Apollo 22:04 Monument wars: How city-states used Delphi for propaganda 28:32 The shift from prophecy to athletic and musical entertainment 30:30 The Pythian Games and ancient celebrity status 49:05 The discovery of the famous bronze charioteer 50:54 Invasions, Christianity, and the final legacy of Delphi Presented by Tristan Hughes. Producers are Joseph Knight & McKenna Fernandez, senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Editor is Natasha Hughes. Channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #HistoryHitPodcast #TheAncients #Delphi