Thermopylae and Delphi, Greece (October 2018)

On the way to Delphi, we stopped over at Thermopylae where the Spartans fought against the Persians to death. The allied army led by the Spartan King Leoniad held off a vastly outnumbered Persian army, under the rule of Persian King Xerces I, for seven days at a strait. But, one Greek betrayed and there was a bloody battle at Thermopylae. Leoniad, acknowledging that it will be impossible to defeat the Persians, send many Greek soldiers home, but he remained with 300 Spartans to fight to death. Their story was filmed in a movie called "300." Other city soldiers also remained, but ended up surrendering after the Spartan death.

Delphi was once considered the center of the Hellenic Empire. By the map of the Hellenic Empire, it was indeed at the center. The city was built on the hillside overlooking the area. Delphi is another UNESCO World Heritage site.

There was a temple dedicated to Apollo, the god of light. When I was passing by, there was the sun light that shined the place as if Apollo was greeting us.

The Oracle of Delphi describes a priestess called Pythia who was known to speak on behalf of Apollo at the temple. As she spoke in ecstatic state, the priests interpreted her prophecy. Many warriors, kings and the powerful came to consult with her. In reality, there is a fault line beneath the temple so the volcanic gas was leaking and it created a mysterious atmosphere.

 In Delphi, there is a stone of power, called Omphalos or Navel Stone. The stone of power signifies that Delphi is indeed the center of the world. In Greek mythology, Zeus made two eagles, symbolizing himself, fly from the two ends of the world toward each other at the equal speed. They met above Delphi and Zeus made it the center of the world. This stone became a tremendous religious significance for centuries. Hmmm...

At the center of the ancient sacred place, the Treasure of the Athenians was located because they wanted to be recognized for their victory against the Persians.

In Delphi, there is the twisted pillar erected. It is believed to have been made of Persian arms after they defeated them. The original is now in Berlin and what we saw is its replica.

We visited the Archaeological Museum. One of the significant artifacts was the statue of the Charioteer of Delphi. Apparently, it is the best preserved statue of Ancient Greece, showing the excellent skills of Greek bronze sculptures.

There was a statue of Greek Spinx with a human head, lion's body and eagle's wings. The tour guide explained about the balance between Apollo’s logic and Dionysus' emotion, depicting the human state of mind and heart.

There must be the ruin of a Stadium up on the hill, but we chose to wander around the temple area. Ruins are ruins, but their significance shines up as the history moves on. - Jeffrey