DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52591#0088
72
THE EARLIEST FINDS OF DELPHI
own statues before the fifth century B.c., when a golden
statue of a Macedonian king is mentioned? Euelthon,
tyrant of Cyprian Salamis, gives Apollo an incense-bowl?
the Hetaera Rhodopis of Naucratis, who enticed Sappho’s
brother/ gives a collection of iron spits (obeliskoi), the
small change of the period, before the use of coined money
became general; and Periclytus of Tenedos gives axes,
the larger currency of the period? As in Delphi, so it
was elsewhere ; the oldest temple offerings at the shrine
of Apollo Ismenius at Thebes were, according to Herodotus,
three tripods?' How numerous tripods in particular were,
not only in Apollo's but generally in all Hellenic sanctuaries,
is shown with striking plainness by a statement in a Greek
military writer of the fourth century B.c.,° according to
which the Spartans, when the Thebans invaded their
territory after the defeat at Leuctra, attempted to block
the mountain passes and defiles with barricades built of
earth and stone and “ tripods from the temples.”
All this shows us that the Hellenic delight in portraiture
did not become common property of the nation till quite
late, and was very slow in influencing the greater temples.
The “ Greek Middle Age ” attached the greatest value to
costly sets of plate, weapons, furniture, clothes, ornaments,
or the ready money of the period, and therefore regarded
them as most appropriate for winning the favour and approval
of the gods.
1 Hdt., viii. 121.
2 Idem, iv. 162; also exhibited in the Treasury of the Corinthians.
3 Idem, ii. 135.
4 Paus., x. 14, 1-4. On the oldest methods of payment see Svoronos, Journ.
intern, numismatique, 1906. 5 Hdt., v. 59-61. 6 Aeneas Tacticus, 2.
THE EARLIEST FINDS OF DELPHI
own statues before the fifth century B.c., when a golden
statue of a Macedonian king is mentioned? Euelthon,
tyrant of Cyprian Salamis, gives Apollo an incense-bowl?
the Hetaera Rhodopis of Naucratis, who enticed Sappho’s
brother/ gives a collection of iron spits (obeliskoi), the
small change of the period, before the use of coined money
became general; and Periclytus of Tenedos gives axes,
the larger currency of the period? As in Delphi, so it
was elsewhere ; the oldest temple offerings at the shrine
of Apollo Ismenius at Thebes were, according to Herodotus,
three tripods?' How numerous tripods in particular were,
not only in Apollo's but generally in all Hellenic sanctuaries,
is shown with striking plainness by a statement in a Greek
military writer of the fourth century B.c.,° according to
which the Spartans, when the Thebans invaded their
territory after the defeat at Leuctra, attempted to block
the mountain passes and defiles with barricades built of
earth and stone and “ tripods from the temples.”
All this shows us that the Hellenic delight in portraiture
did not become common property of the nation till quite
late, and was very slow in influencing the greater temples.
The “ Greek Middle Age ” attached the greatest value to
costly sets of plate, weapons, furniture, clothes, ornaments,
or the ready money of the period, and therefore regarded
them as most appropriate for winning the favour and approval
of the gods.
1 Hdt., viii. 121.
2 Idem, iv. 162; also exhibited in the Treasury of the Corinthians.
3 Idem, ii. 135.
4 Paus., x. 14, 1-4. On the oldest methods of payment see Svoronos, Journ.
intern, numismatique, 1906. 5 Hdt., v. 59-61. 6 Aeneas Tacticus, 2.