The Temple of Apollo, also known as Apollonion,[1] (Greek: Ἀπολλώνιον, romanized: Apollṓnion) was a major part of the Panhellenic religious sanctuary located in Central Greece at Delphi.

The temple and sanctuary at large were dedicated to one of the major Greek deities, Apollo, the god of archery, music, light, prophecy, the arts, and healing.

[4] Beginning at the Castalian Spring where visitors to the sanctuary would purify themselves before entering, the path leading to the Temple of Apollo was referred to as the Sacred Way and was lined with treasuries housing the offerings of different major Greek states, like Athens, Corinth, Boeotia, and Thebes many among others.

[4] Within the ancient Greek world, Delphi was considered the center of the universe, marked by the omphalos, or "navel", of the Earth that was located in Apollo's sacred temple.

[5] The Temple of Apollo at Delphi was perceived as an incredibly sacred site, considered a major center of ancient Greek religious practice and belief as well as a place intimately connected to the gods.

[7] The first temple at Delphi took the form of a hut made from laurel from the Vale of Tempe, the sacred tree and major religious symbol of Apollo.

Herodotus also makes claims that the beauty of the temple is accredited to the wealth and good lineage of the Alcmaeonidae family that handled the contract given to them by the Amphictyonic league.

[24] The temple itself was built on a platform situated on a sloped hill with a North to South incline, with evidence of rows with small, stone chambers underneath, all of which were encompassed by large walls made up of polygonal masonry.

[25] These walls have inscriptions relating to Amphictyonic council degrees granting special privileges, public eulogies to benefactors, the Pythian Games, and the emancipation of slaves upon their dedication to Apollo, among other major declarations, with some dating as far back as the 3rd century B.C.E.

[29] The floor of the cella was made of blue-grey limestone slabs that were occasionally washed with water from the Castilian spring, while the walls were decorated with paintings Pliny the Elder accredits to Aristoclides.

Although the dating for when specific objects would have been within the adyton, at one point or another it would have likely housed a golden statue of Apollo, the Omphalos, sacred armor considered unlawful for mortals to touch, and an altar with a pine-wood fire where the Pythia would have likely burnt bay-leave and barley-meal.

[3] The Pythia was typically regarded as the foremost oracle within the Greek world, with Herodotus making emphasis on this claim when recounting the story of the Lydian king Croesus.

[39] However, prophecies throughout Greek history and mythology were notably vague, and misinterpretation of prophesies would remain a major theme across historical accounts, literature, and myth.

[42] This was supposedly changed when one of the Pythia were violated by Echecrates the Thessalian when he came to Delphi for a prophecy, and following this future priestess were required to be at least fifty years old though they intentionally dressed like a young woman.

The inquirer came to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and offered a gift upon the altar located outside the building, typically sacrificial animals such as goats, sheep, or bulls.

[34] This interpretation has been challenged by some scholars, such as Joseph Fontenrose and Lisa Maurizio, who argue that the ancient sources uniformly represent the Pythia speaking intelligibly, and giving prophecies in her voice.

Research on this topic does not seem to suggest any evidence of a large fissure or chasm in the ground under the temple, nor any indication that consuming bay laurel leaves or water from the Castalian spring can induce an intoxicated state.

While sometimes including the same states, the wars were not directly connected to or continuations of prior conflicts, and are typically used to refer to instances when multiple parties vied for control of Delphi.

[5] The slaying of Python connects to the banishment of Apollo by Zeus to Thessaly for the purification of miasma and the mythological origins of the Pythian Games at Delphi.

One version of the myth references Zeus released two eagles to fly in opposite directions toward the ends of the Earth before meeting at the site of Delphi, thus marking it as the center of the universe.

[citation needed] Archaeologist Jean Théphille Homelle led the excavation of the entire site of Delphi, which included the Temple of Apollo.

[citation needed] French excavators discovered two small cavities in the ground below Apollo's sacred temple where they found pieces of ivory, bronze, and gold that were likely the remains of Chryselephantine sculpture depicting humanoid figures.