DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52591#0179
THE TREASURY OF THE ATHENIANS 163
even though on the whole it must be admitted that his
historical statements are often as incorrect as his topographical
data are accurate? We may thus regard the treasury as a
memorial of the brilliant Athenian victory at Marathon,
as a thankoffering to Apollo, who in any case gave the
assurance too late that he had supported the Athenians
in the battle?
The limestone terrace along the south wall of the treasury,
on which stood the Marathon trophies, was originally
larger, and throughout its extent parallel to the south wall
of the treasury; but by a readjustment of the Sacred
Way, its south-east corner was cut off, and the old votive
inscription lost its tail? On the end surface of the block,
which thus became the last, is carved an inscription, which
shows that this widening of the road and this encroach-
ment on the terrace took place in the third century b.c.
In the same century, along the south edge of the terrace
were driven down quadrangular pillars, i| metres in height,
in a row, united by iron bands at the top, which must
have destroyed the whole effect of the trophies. It is evi-
dent that the driving in of these ugly pillars, which in the
course of the second century were covered by inscriptions,
was due to necessity, and was meant to prevent further
encroachment on the famous little terrace. The reason
is to be found in the political condition of Delphi in the
third century b.c. In 279 b.c. the Gauls, in their raid into
west Greece, made an attack on Delphi, but were driven
back by the Aetolian League, and from now on the Aetolians
are masters in Delphi, and spite the Athenians in every
possible way. So from 263 to 217 b.c. Athens had no
representative (Hieromnemon) in the Amphictyonic Council.
It is to this bad time that the pillars and the previous en-
croachment on the terrace belong, and bear witness to the
violent struggles in holy spots, which must have been like
the disputes of modern nations for every inch of floor-
space in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem and the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, where the
priests fight lustily with their broomsticks, when in course
1 Pomtow, Ath. Mitteil., xxxi, 1906, 465, n. 1 ; Klio, viii. 1, 106.
2 Bourguet, Les ruines de Delphes, 96. 3 Colin, Fouilles de Delphes, Hi. a, text.
even though on the whole it must be admitted that his
historical statements are often as incorrect as his topographical
data are accurate? We may thus regard the treasury as a
memorial of the brilliant Athenian victory at Marathon,
as a thankoffering to Apollo, who in any case gave the
assurance too late that he had supported the Athenians
in the battle?
The limestone terrace along the south wall of the treasury,
on which stood the Marathon trophies, was originally
larger, and throughout its extent parallel to the south wall
of the treasury; but by a readjustment of the Sacred
Way, its south-east corner was cut off, and the old votive
inscription lost its tail? On the end surface of the block,
which thus became the last, is carved an inscription, which
shows that this widening of the road and this encroach-
ment on the terrace took place in the third century b.c.
In the same century, along the south edge of the terrace
were driven down quadrangular pillars, i| metres in height,
in a row, united by iron bands at the top, which must
have destroyed the whole effect of the trophies. It is evi-
dent that the driving in of these ugly pillars, which in the
course of the second century were covered by inscriptions,
was due to necessity, and was meant to prevent further
encroachment on the famous little terrace. The reason
is to be found in the political condition of Delphi in the
third century b.c. In 279 b.c. the Gauls, in their raid into
west Greece, made an attack on Delphi, but were driven
back by the Aetolian League, and from now on the Aetolians
are masters in Delphi, and spite the Athenians in every
possible way. So from 263 to 217 b.c. Athens had no
representative (Hieromnemon) in the Amphictyonic Council.
It is to this bad time that the pillars and the previous en-
croachment on the terrace belong, and bear witness to the
violent struggles in holy spots, which must have been like
the disputes of modern nations for every inch of floor-
space in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem and the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, where the
priests fight lustily with their broomsticks, when in course
1 Pomtow, Ath. Mitteil., xxxi, 1906, 465, n. 1 ; Klio, viii. 1, 106.
2 Bourguet, Les ruines de Delphes, 96. 3 Colin, Fouilles de Delphes, Hi. a, text.