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Didyma
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Unless
otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona
Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes,
but you have to acknowledge Livius. |
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The oracular shrine of Apollo at Miletus
is usually called Didyma; its priests were the Branchidae. The existence
of the sanctuary antedates the Greek colonization of Ionia. The name "Didyma"
is Anatolian in origin, although the Greeks were reminded of their word
didymoi,
"twins" (i.e., Apollo and Artemis.) The temple was founded at the end of
the eighth century. A century later, it was well-known throughout the ancient
world. According to Herodotus
of Halicarnassus, pharaoh Necho
II sent presents. Half a century later, Croesus
of Lydia
did the same. |
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After the Persians had defeated the Ionian Greeks at Lade,
they sacked Miletus and destroyed Didyma. It was only after Alexander
the Great had defeated the Persians, that the oracle spoke again. If
we are to believe the Macedonian
propaganda, Apollo's first announcement was that Alexander was the son
of a god indeed. |
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Alexander ordered the reconstruction of the temple, but it was left
to Seleucus
Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid
empire, to make a beginning. The architects were Daphnis and Paionios.
It was designed to measure 109 by 51 meter, but remained unfinished. The
large hall that was to be the heart of the temple, never had a roof. This
picture shows the inner sanctuary. |
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Builders' marks near the stairs leading to the sanctuary. |
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Builders' marks near the stairs leading to the sanctuary. |
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Builders' marks on the stairs leading to the sanctuary. |
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to part two
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