Lying between west Locris and Boeotia, Phocis occupied the fertile valleys of Crisa and the Cephissus River, which are linked loosely by passes over southern spurs of Mount Parnassus. In the sixth century BC Phocis had a strong federation that enabled her to resist the aggression of her neighbours, who coveted the control of Delphi, and of Elateia commanding the route to Northern Greece.
Delphi is situated on the lower southern slopes of Parnassus, overlooking the Corinthian Gulf about 2000 feet below. Legend asserted that Delphi marked the centre of Earth and that this spot was determined by Zeus, who had released two eagles to fly from opposite sides of Earth and that they had met exactly over this place. The place derived its fame from Apollo, who is said to have destroyed the resident deity Python, giving rise to Pythian Apollo in whose name the Pythian Games were celebrated. Apollo pronounced his oracles through a priestess, the Pythia. Those who wished to consult the oracle gave their questions to a male functionary, who passed them to the Pythia. Her responses, which were not necessarily coherent, were interpreted by attendant priests.
On religion Delphi gave answers that fostered the worship of Olympian and local deities impartially. In politics Delphi came to the fore during the great period of colonisation, its advice regularly being sought on the choice of site and patron deity. When the tyrants of Corinth, Cypselus (r.c.657-c.625 BC) and his son Periander (r.c.625-c.585 BC) offered dedications to Delphic Apollo, they were showing their appreciation of the oracle’s support of their western colonies.
Delphi entered upon a new phase when it came under the control of the Amphictyony (‘dwellers around’), a league primarily concerned with religious ritual but occasionally acting for a political purpose. A dispute between the Phocian states of Delphi and Crisa developed into the First Sacred War (c.595-c.586 BC). Delphi appealed to the Amphictyony and under the command of a Thessalian, Eurylochus, Amphictyonic forces overran Phocis, captured Delphi and celebrated their victory by holding a Pythian Games in 582 BC.
Delphi’s importance was above all that it provided a meeting place for the otherwise isolated city-states of Greece. In 548 BC the temple of Apollo and the edifices around it were destroyed by fire. During the final decade of the same century, a great new temple was erected with the aid of the Alcmaeonidae clan then living at Delphi in exile from the Pisistratid Dynasty at their native Athens. A new temple was built by subscriptions. This building survived until Roman times and was repaired by Domitian (44; r.81-96 BC).
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