Delphi: A History of the Center of the Ancient World

The oracle and sanctuary of the Greek god Apollo at Delphi were known as the omphalos the center or navel of the ancient world for than 1000 years Individuals, city leaders, and kings came from all over the Mediterranean and beyond to consult Delphi s oracular priestess to set up monuments to the gods and to take part in competitions.In this richly illustrated account, Michael Scott covers the history and nature of Delphi, from the literary and archaeological evidence surrounding the site, to its rise as a center of worship, to the constant appeal of the oracle despite her cryptic prophecies He describes how Delphi became a contested sacred site for Greeks and Romans and a storehouse for the treasures of rival city states and foreign kings He also examines the eventual decline of the site and how its meaning and importance have continued to be reshaped.A unique window into the center of the ancient world, Delphi will appeal to general readers, tourists, students, and specialists. Download Delphi: A History of the Center of the Ancient World – kino-fada.fr Covers the Oracle of Delphi and the town which was a religious center dedicated to Apollo and with a Priesthood of women who took in vapors in a cave and prophecized for visitors from all over the ancient Mediterrane...This is a very interesting and comprehensive account of Delphi from its earliest days through the present, written in the sort of flat, artless prose that suggests an adapted dissertation Parts of the book were really fascinating, driven by the sheer propulsiveness of the historical role of the site Other parts drag interminably, particularly the cataloging of archaeological digs that makes up the epigraph Overall, I came away fascinated by the role that Delphi played in the wider culture of This is a very interesting and comprehensive account of Delphi from its earliest days through the present, written in the sort of flat, artless prose that suggests an adapted dissertation Parts of the book were really fascinating, driven by the sheer propulsiveness of the historical role of the site Other parts drag interminably, particularly the cataloging of archaeological digs that makes up the epigraph Overall, I came away fascinated by the role that Delphi played in the wider culture of antiquity, and how the success and usefulness of the oracle came...Interestingly, while some readers thought the book a little dry, mainly because it presupposes a decent knowledge of ancient Greek history and culture going into it, I thought it was a little on the pop culture side Early chapters seemedthematic, exploring what went on at Delphi and the art and architectural styles on display at the sanctuary,...My theory this book is a doctoral thesis The topic is interesting, the facts are detailed and fascinating, but the text presupposes a high level of knowledge and is written in pretty dense prose It s a slog, but I found the details and ideas presented interesting enough to keep chipping away at it Despite having 422 pages, the text is actually 290 pages That s how extensive the notes and index are, plus a brief textual guided tour of the site But it felt like reading a book of 422 pages My theory this book is a doctoral thesis The topic is interesting, the facts are detailed and fascinating, but the text presupposes a high level of knowledge and is written in pretty dense prose It s a slog, but I found the details and ideas presented interesting enough to keep chipping away at it Despite having 422 pages, the text is actually 290 pages That s how extensive the notes and index are, plus a brief textual guided tour of the site But it felt like reading a book of 422 pages.The biggest problem is that the text assumes a gre...There was quite a lot of information in this book on a fascinating subject However, the writing is a bit dry I enjoyed learning the history of this site, and am glad I read the book I would recommend this to some people who are interested in the subject matter, but not to the general public.This book is a pretty fascinating read, although as others have remarked the language is rather dry and at times boring The writer is too much of a scientist, and too little of a storyteller The history of the ancient Delphi is exciting and fascinating and that s why I in no way regret reading the book The book tells the story of Delphi in chronological order I summarize and give some of my thoughts on the lecture Chapt...An enjoyable and comprehensive account of Delphi from its origins to the present Although it disappeared from view at the close of the Classical era for 800 years, in both its modern and ancient incarnations Delphi seems remarkably adept at absorbing huge amounts of other people s money the French paid handsomely for the privilege of excavating it in the late 19th century The book follows the remarkable story of how Delphi negotiated the massive shifts in politics over its 1000 year active h An...A thoroughly enjoyable and readable chronological account of this fascinating place, from earliest times, through its heyday, to the Roman era and its decline and eventual excavation I visited Delphi on a school trip to Greece in 1986, and it has fascinated me ever since My favo...Very, very interesting account of Delphi and its oracle I fear most would find it too academic I am completely fascinated by Delphi I liked it.Delphi A History of the Center of the Ancient World by Michael Scott3 StarsThe term Delphi evokes images of the seat of religious activity for the ancient Greeks with countless tales of Greek heroes and rulers making the trek to the city seeking sage advice from Apollo s oracle that often turned out to be ambiguous, and, in hindsight, seemed to be a cruel jest on the petitioner While the mysteries surrounding the oracle are the most well known aspect of the city and much debate has centered o Delphi A History of the Center...

• English
• 02 January 2018
Michael C. Scott
• Hardcover
• 422 pages
• 0691150818
• Michael C. Scott
• Delphi: A History of the Center of the Ancient World