Pausanias' description of Delphi

His work constituted a precious aid to travelers and archaeologists who attempted to identify the monuments revealed by the excavations, although in some cases their identifications were not enough.

A traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, Pausanias was most probably born in Lydia (Asia Minor) and wrote a very important work, the Description of Greece.

According to the famous classicist James Frazer who wrote on Pausanias, "without him the ruins of Greece would be a labyrinth without a clue, a riddle without an answer".

As in the rest of his books, in his description of Delphi Pausanias describes rituals, rites, customs and offers narrations with a historical and ethnographic background.

Although the treasures of Delphi had been looted by the Phoceans initially and by Roman emperors such as Nero later on, in Pausanias' times there were still enough monuments to admire and describe.

This new interpretation was based on the fact that Pausanias followed a different itinerary than the usual one, whereas the Tholos could be "the temple hosting small number of portraits of Roman Emperors".

Pausanias also mentions that the Athenians, with the tithe from the booty of the Battle of Marathon, had dedicated an ex voto comprising the statues of Athena, Apollo, Miltiades and the mythical kings of Athens.

Then, Pausanias mentions the base of the Tarentines, who had dedicated bronze horses and statues of women in captivity, in order to commemorate their victory against the Messapians.