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143-637: The Temple of Apollo at Claros was a very important center of prophecy, as in Delphi and Didyma . The oldest literary information about this sacred site goes back to the sixth and seventh centuries BC, through the Homeric Hymns , though Proto-Geometric pottery at the site betokens 9th century occupation. A sacred cave near the Temple of Apollo, which was an important place both in the Hellenistic and Roman eras, points to

286-448: A " tithe " or tenth of the spoils of a battle. The most impressive is the now-restored Athenian Treasury , built to commemorate their victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. The Siphnian Treasury was dedicated by the city of Siphnos , whose citizens gave a tithe of the yield from their silver mines until the mines came to an abrupt end when the sea flooded the workings. One of

429-584: A Latin version of Aratus 's Phainomena , which survives, wherein he rewrites the contents of the original. For example, he replaces the opening hymn to Zeus with a passage in honor of the Roman emperor. He avoided writing in the poetic style of Cicero , who had translated his own version of the Phainomena , and he wrote in a new style to meet the expectations of a Roman audience whose tastes were shaped by "modern" authors like Ovid and Virgil . For his work, Germanicus

572-616: A child of unknown name (normally referred to as Ignotus ); Gaius the Elder; Gaius the Younger (the future emperor "Caligula"); Agrippina the Younger (the future empress); Julia Drusilla ; and Julia Livilla . Only six of his children came of age; Tiberius and the Ignotus died as infants, and Gaius the Elder in his early childhood. Germanicus became a quaestor in AD 7, four years before the legal age of 25. He

715-507: A dolphin, Apollo casts himself on deck. The Cretans do not dare to remove him but sail on. Apollo guides the ship around Greece, ending back at Crisa, where the ship grounds. Apollo enters his shrine with the Cretans to be its priests, worshipping him as Delphineus , "of the dolphin". Zeus, a Classical deity, reportedly determined the site of Delphi when he sought to find the centre of his "Grandmother Earth" ( Gaia ). He sent two eagles flying from

858-418: A grave threat for its stability for decades. The tholos at the sanctuary of Athena Pronaea (Ἀθηνᾶ Προναία, "Athena of forethought") is a circular building that was constructed between 380 and 360 BC. It consisted of 20 Doric columns arranged with an exterior diameter of 14.76 meters, with 10 Corinthian columns in the interior. The Tholos is located approximately a half a mile (800 m) from

1001-670: A land and riverine offensive, with troops marching eastward across the Rhine, and sailing from the North Sea up the Ems River in order to attack the Bructeri and Cherusci. Germanicus' forces went through Bructeri territory, where a general, Lucius Stertinius, recovered the lost eagle of the XIX Legion from among the equipment of the Bructeri after routing them in battle. Germanicus's legions met up to

1144-449: A letter formally renouncing their friendship ( amicitia ). Germanicus died soon after on 10 October of that year. His death aroused much speculation, with several sources blaming Piso, acting under orders from Emperor Tiberius. This was never proven, and Piso killed himself while facing trial. Tacitus says Tiberius was involved in a conspiracy against Germanicus, and Tiberius's jealousy and fear of his nephew's popularity and increasing power

1287-548: A little torrent that led the water of the fountain Cassotis right underneath the temple of Apollo. The orchestra was initially a full circle with a diameter measuring seven meters. The rectangular scene building ended up in two arched openings, of which the foundations are preserved today. Access to the theatre was possible through the parodoi, i.e. the side corridors. On the support walls of the parodoi are engraved large numbers of manumission inscriptions recording fictitious sales of

1430-461: A meeting was held to meet their demands. Germanicus negotiated a settlement: To satisfy the requisition promised to the legions, Germanicus paid them out of his own pocket. All eight legions were given money, even if they did not demand it. Both the armies of the Lower and Upper Rhine had returned to order. It seemed prudent to satisfy the armies, but Germanicus took it a step further. In a bid to secure

1573-695: A particular eulogy was given by Tiberius himself in the Senate. The historians Tacitus and Suetonius record the funeral and posthumous honors of Germanicus. His name was placed into the Carmen Saliare , and onto the curule seats that were placed with oaken garlands over them as honorary seats for the Augustan priesthood. His ivory statue was at the head of the procession during the Circus Games; his posts as priest of Augustus and Augur were to be filled by members of

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1716-494: A previously existing oracle of Earth . The slaying of the serpent is the act of conquest which secures his possession; not as in the Homeric Hymn , a merely secondary work of improvement on the site. Another difference is also noticeable. The Homeric Hymn , as we saw, implied that the method of prophecy used there was similar to that of Dodona : both Aeschylus and Euripides, writing in the fifth century, attribute to primeval times

1859-467: A quaestor accused of murder in AD 10 in which the prosecutor, fearing the jurors would find in favor of the defense out of deference for Germanicus, demanded a trial before Augustus. In AD 9, three Roman legions commanded by Varus were destroyed by a coalition of German tribes led by Arminius in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest . As proconsul , Germanicus was dispatched with Tiberius to defend

2002-401: A replacement for Vonones , whom Augustus had deposed and placed under house arrest at the request of the king of Parthia , Artabanus . The king of Cappadocia died too, whereupon Germanicus sent Quintus Veranius to organize Cappadocia as a province – a profitable endeavor as Tiberius was able to reduce the sales tax down to .5% from 1%. The revenue from the new province was enough to make up

2145-729: A series of discs joined). The inscription on the stylobate indicates that it was built by the Athenians after their naval victory over the Persians in 478 BC, to house their war trophies. At that time the Athenians and the Spartans were on the same side. The Sibyl rock is a pulpit-like outcrop of rock between the Athenian Treasury and the Stoa of the Athenians upon the Sacred Way that leads up to

2288-419: A serpent or dragon who lived at the site. "Python" is derived from the verb πύθω ( pythō ), "to rot ". Today Delphi is a municipality of Greece as well as a modern town adjacent to the ancient precinct. The modern town was created after removing buildings from the sacred precinct so that the latter could be excavated. The two Delphis, old and new, are located on Greek National Road 48 between Amfissa in

2431-509: A sister, Livilla , and a brother, Claudius. His paternal grandmother was Livia , who had divorced his grandfather Tiberius Claudius Nero around 24 years before Germanicus' birth. Livia's second marriage was to the Roman emperor Augustus. His maternal grandparents were the triumvir Mark Antony and Augustus' sister Octavia Minor . Germanicus was a key figure in the Julio-Claudian dynasty of

2574-419: A triumph and reassigned to a different command. The effort it would have taken to conquer Germania Magna was deemed too great when compared with the low potential for profit from acquiring the new territory. Rome regarded Germany as a wild territory of forests and swamps, with little wealth compared to territories Rome already had. However, the campaign significantly healed the Roman psychological trauma from

2717-498: A triumphal chariot, with the reverse reading "Standards Recovered. Germans Defeated." His triumph included a long procession of captives including the wife of Arminius, Thusnelda, and her three-year-old son, among others of the defeated German tribes. The procession displayed replicas of mountains, rivers, and battles; and the war was considered closed. Tiberius gave money out to the people of Rome in Germanicus' name, and Germanicus

2860-539: A triumphator, Germanicus played a distinguished part in the celebration and was given the opportunity to display his consular insignia and triumphal ornaments. In AD 13, Augustus appointed him commander of the forces in the Rhine , which totaled eight legions and was about one-third of Rome's total military force. The next year in August, Augustus died and on 17 September the Senate met to confirm Tiberius as princeps . That day

3003-603: A tumultuous reception in January AD 19. He had gone there to relieve a famine in the country vital to Rome's food supply. The move upset Tiberius, because it had violated an order by Augustus that no senator shall enter the province without consulting the emperor and the Senate (Egypt was an imperial province , and belonged to the emperor). Germanicus entered the province in his capacity as proconsul without first seeking permission to do so. He returned to Syria by summer, where he found that Piso had either ignored or revoked his orders to

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3146-595: A year. Also, not waiting to take up his consulship in Rome, he left after his triumph but before the end of AD 17. He sailed down the Illyrian coast of the Adriatic Sea to Greece . He arrived at Nicopolis near the site of the Battle of Actium , where he took up his second consulship on 18 January AD 18. He visited the sites associated with his adoptive grandfather Augustus and his natural grandfather Mark Antony , before crossing

3289-412: Is a round altar of the second half of the 7th century. It was covered over around the middle of the 6th century by a large rectangular altar (14.85 × 6.05 m); at the same time a marble temple was built for Apollo around the spring while Apollo's sister, Artemis, had her own precinct and a smaller altar (3.50 × 150 m): next to it were found the bases of two korai, one of which is preserved (the head

3432-455: Is another ancient relic that has withstood the centuries. It is one of the best known statues from antiquity. The charioteer has lost many features, including his chariot and his left arm, but he stands as a tribute to athletic art of antiquity. In the Iliad , Achilles would not accept Agamemnon 's peace offering even if it included all the wealth in the "stone floor" of "rocky Pytho" (I 404). In

3575-458: Is constructed. At a later date, from 200 BC onwards, the stones were inscribed with the manumission (liberation) contracts of slaves who were consecrated to Apollo. Approximately a thousand manumissions are recorded on the wall. The sacred spring of Delphi lies in the ravine of the Phaedriades. The preserved remains of two monumental fountains that received the water from the spring date to

3718-410: Is half a mile away from the main sanctuary, was a series of buildings used by the youth of Delphi. The building consisted of two levels: a stoa on the upper level providing open space, and a palaestra , pool, and baths on lower floor. These pools and baths were said to have magical powers, and imparted the ability to communicate directly to Apollo. The stadium is located farther up the hill, beyond

3861-410: Is missing). There were at least four statues of kouroi dedicated to Apollo; three of them, incomplete, have been found. Very few changes occurred in the sanctuary between the 6th and the end of the 4th century. At that time a new layout of the sacred area was conceived, with monuments on a larger scale; most probably, the plans were put into execution only after the terrible events of the beginning of

4004-416: Is not in control of himself and does not follow what he is saying, or where he is...” Germanicus famously visited the oracle in 18 AD (a year before his death) and "It was said that he prophesied to Germanicus, in dark hints, as oracles usually do, an early doom". Claros had been entirely buried in the alluvial silt deposited by the small river at the site, a widespread phenomenon along this coastline during

4147-491: Is placed in an approximately east–west alignment along the base of the polygonal wall retaining the terrace on which the Temple of Apollo sits. There is no archaeological suggestion of a connection to the temple. The stoa opened to the Sacred Way. The nearby presence of the Treasury of the Athenians suggests that this quarter of Delphi was used for Athenian business or politics, as stoas are generally found in market-places. Although

4290-409: Is really another manifestation of the same deity: an identity that Aeschylus recognized in another context. The worship of these two, as one or distinguished, was displaced by the introduction of Apollo. His origin has been the subject of much learned controversy: it is sufficient for our purpose to take him as the Homeric Hymn represents him – a northern intruder – and his arrival must have occurred in

4433-422: Is the oldest of the three loci, dating to the seventh century BC (estimate). Apollo travels about after his birth on Delos seeking a place for an oracle. He is advised by Telephus to choose Crissa "below the glade of Parnassus ", which he does, and has a temple built. Killing the serpent that guards the spring. Subsequently, some Cretans from Knossos sail up on a mission to reconnoitre Pylos . Changing into

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4576-585: The Odyssey (θ 79) Agamemnon crosses a "stone floor" to receive a prophecy from Apollo in Pytho, the first known of proto-history. Hesiod also refers to Pytho "in the hollows of Parnassus" (Theogony 498). These references imply that the earliest date of the oracle's existence is the eighth century BC, the probable date of composition of the Homeric works. The main myths of Delphi are given in three literary "loci". H. W. Parke,

4719-460: The Sodales Augustales , a priesthood of the cult of Augustus, of which Germanicus became a member. When news arrived of his raid, Tiberius commemorated his services in the Senate. The Senate, in absence of Germanicus, voted that he should be given a triumph. Ovid 's Fasti dates the Senate vote of Germanicus' triumph to 1 January AD 15. For the next two years, he led his legions across

4862-503: The gens Julia , another prominent family, to which he was related on his mother's side. His connection to the Julii Caesares was further consolidated through a marriage between him and Agrippina the Elder , a granddaughter of Augustus. He was also the father of Caligula , the maternal grandfather of Nero , and the older brother of Claudius . During the reign of Augustus, Germanicus enjoyed an accelerated political career, entering

5005-665: The Archaic period and the Roman , with the latter cut into the rock. The first set of remains that the visitor sees upon entering the archaeological site of Delphi is the Roman Agora, which was just outside the peribolos , or precinct walls, of the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. The Roman Agora was built between the sanctuary and the Castalian Spring , approximately 500 meters away. This large rectangular paved square used to be surrounded by Ionic porticos on its three sides. The square

5148-508: The Circus Maximus . On 23 October AD 12, Tiberius held a triumph for his victory over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, which he had postponed on account of the defeat of Varus at Teutoburg Forest. He was accompanied, among his other generals, by Germanicus, for whom he had obtained the triumphal regalia. Unlike his adoptive brother Drusus , who received no recognition beyond being the son of

5291-476: The Early Helladic . Krisa itself is Middle Helladic. These early dates are comparable to the earliest dates at Delphi, suggesting Delphi was appropriated and transformed by Phocians from ancient Krisa. It is believed that the ruins of Kirra , now part of the port of Itea , were the port of Krisa of the same name. The site was first briefly excavated in 1880 by Bernard Haussoullier (1852–1926) on behalf of

5434-662: The Elbe , and they launched an attack on the Roman positions at the Angrivarian Wall , thus beginning a second battle . The Romans had anticipated the attack and again routed the Germans. Germanicus stated that he did not want any prisoners, as the extermination of the Germanic tribes was the only conclusion he saw for the war. The victorious Romans then raised a mound with the inscription: "The army of Tiberius Caesar, after thoroughly conquering

5577-498: The French School at Athens , of which he was a sometime member. The site was then occupied by the village of Kastri , about 100 houses, 200 people. Kastri ("fort") had been there since the destruction of the place by Theodosius I in 390. He probably left a fort to make sure it was not repopulated, however, the fort became the new village. They were mining the stone for re-use in their own buildings. British and French travelers visiting

5720-486: The Legion X Fretensis . Evidently here Piso attended Germanicus, and quarreled because he failed to send troops to Armenia when ordered. Artabanus sent an envoy to Germanicus requesting that Vonones be moved further from Armenia as to not incite trouble there. Germanicus complied, moving Vonones to Cilicia , both to please Artabanus and to insult Piso, with whom Vonones was friendly. He then made his way to Egypt , arriving to

5863-465: The Roman Empire 's defeat in the Teutoburg Forest and retrieved two of the three legionary eagles that had been lost during the battle. In AD 17, he returned to Rome, where he received a triumph before leaving to reorganize the provinces of Asia Minor , whereby he incorporated the provinces of Cappadocia and Commagene in AD 18. While in the eastern provinces, Germanicus came into conflict with

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6006-629: The Sea of Marmara as the source of the marble. The marble being imported from the island to be used at the site was a special type with distinctive blue and white bands known as Proconnesian marble. The marble did not complete its 350 kilometer journey. The founding myth of Claros connects the city with the myth of the Epigoni who conquered Thebes . The two seers Teiresias and his daughter Manto became their captives along with other Thebans. The Epigoni sent them to Delphi to honor Apollo , but Teiresias died on

6149-600: The Sicyonians , the Boeotians , Massaliots , and the Thebans . Located in front of the Temple of Apollo, the main altar of the sanctuary was paid for and built by the people of Chios . It is dated to the fifth century BC by the inscription on its cornice . Made entirely of black marble, except for the base and cornice, the altar would have made a striking impression. It was restored in 1920. The stoa , or open-sided, covered porch,

6292-491: The patrician gens Claudia . The agnomen Germanicus was added to his full name in 9 BC when it was posthumously awarded to his father in honor of his victories in Germania. In AD 4 he was adopted by his paternal uncle Tiberius , himself the stepson and heir of Germanicus' great-uncle Augustus ; ten years later, Tiberius succeeded Augustus as Roman emperor . As a result of his adoption, Germanicus became an official member of

6435-465: The temple of Apollo in the archaeological area of Delphi. The rock is claimed to be the location from which a prehistoric Sibyl pre-dating the Pythia of Apollo sat to deliver her prophecies. Other suggestions are that the Pythia might have stood there, or an acolyte whose function was to deliver the final prophecy. The rock seems ideal for public speaking. The ancient theatre at Delphi was built farther up

6578-658: The via sacra and the theatre. It was built in the fifth century BC, but was altered in later centuries. The last major remodelling took place in the second century AD under the patronage of Herodes Atticus when the stone seating was built and an (arched) entrance created. It could seat 6500 spectators and the track was 177 metres long and 25.5 metres wide. It was at the Pythian Games that prominent political leaders, such as Cleisthenes , tyrant of Sikyon , and Hieron , tyrant of Syracuse , competed with their chariots. The hippodrome where these events took place

6721-542: The 'navel' (Omphalos) or center of the Earth and explained that this spot was determined by Zeus who had released two eagles to fly from opposite sides of the earth and that they had met exactly over this place". On p. 7 he writes further, "So Delphi was originally devoted to the worship of the Earth goddess whom the Greeks called Ge, or Gaia. Themis , who is associated with her in tradition as her daughter and partner or successor,

6864-453: The 1st century BC, as the hinterland was deforested. T. Macridy uncovered the monumental entrance to the sanctuary in 1905 and returned for further explorations with the French archaeologist Charles Picard in 1913. Excavations recommenced between 1950 and 1961 under Louis Robert, and a series of important Roman dedicated monuments came to light, as well as the famous Doric Temple of Apollo, seat of

7007-463: The 3rd century BC. Later in the 3rd century construction began on the new altar and the new Temple of Apollo. It had a dark crypt -like adyton from where the oracle delivered his prophecies. Today it is well preserved and its narrow, dark and vaulted labyrinthine corridors remain. Above the ground, remains can be seen of the base and fragments of the colossal sculptures of a seated Apollo with his lyre, accompanied by Leto and Artemis , facing to

7150-466: The 4th century AD. In the late Hellenistic period , a cargo ship carrying marble sank on its way to Claros off the southwest coast of modern-day Turkey near Kizilburun. The ship was discovered in 1993, and has been under excavation since 2005. On this ship, an estimated fifty tons of marble columns were recovered that matched the description of the columns found at Claros, the temple of Apollo . Isotopic and meteorological data indicate Proconnesos in

7293-516: The Chatti with a mixed force of 3,000 cavalry and 33,000 infantry and lay waste to their territory, while he himself, with a larger army, invaded the Marsi for the third time and devastated their land. He forced Mallovendus , the defeated leader of the Marsi, to reveal the location of another of the three legion's eagles lost in AD 9. Immediately Germanicus despatched troops to recover it. The Romans advanced into

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7436-613: The Delphi scholar, argued that the myths are self-contradictory, thereby aligning with the Plutarchian epistemology that these myths are not to be taken as literal historical accounts but as symbolic narratives meant to explain oracular traditions." Parke asserts that there is no Apollo, no Zeus, no Hera, and certainly never was a great, serpent-like monster, and that the myths are pure Plutarchian figures of speech, meant to be aetiologies of some oracular tradition. Homeric Hymn 3 , "To Apollo",

7579-547: The Lower Rhine was stationed in summer quarters on the border of the Ubii . They had not been paid the bonuses promised them by Augustus and, when it became clear a response from Tiberius was not forthcoming, they revolted. Germanicus dealt with the troops in Germania, and Tiberius' son Drusus dealt with Illyricum. The army of the Lower Rhine sought an increase in pay, the reduction of their service to 16 years (down from 20) to mitigate

7722-576: The Perustae and Daesitiate in their mountain strongholds. Roman forces captured many cities, and those commanded by Germanicus took Raetinum, near Seretium (although it was destroyed in a fire set by the rebels during the siege), Splonum (in modern-day northern Montenegro ) and Seretium itself (in modern-day western Bosnia). The Roman forces under Tiberius and Germanicus pursued Bato to the fortress of Andretium near Salona , to which they laid siege. When it became clear Bato would not surrender, Tiberius assaulted

7865-537: The Rhine against the Germans, where they would confront the forces of Arminius and his allies. Tacitus says the purpose of those campaigns was to avenge the defeat of Varus at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, and not to expand Roman territory. In early spring AD 15, Germanicus crossed the Rhine and struck the Chatti . He sacked their capital Mattium (modern Maden near Gudensberg ), pillaged their countryside, then returned to

8008-609: The Rhine and in Asia where he had governed in life. The arch of the Rhine was placed alongside that of his father, where the soldiers had built a funerary monument honoring him. Portraits of him and his natural father were placed in the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine in Rome. Several cities in Asia Minor were named Germanicopolis in honor of the general (among them Gangra and Germanicia ). On

8151-511: The Rhine, up the Ems and Weser rivers as part of his last major campaign against Arminius in AD 16. His forces met those of Arminius on the plains of Idistaviso , by the Weser River near modern Rinteln , in an engagement called the Battle of the Weser River . Tacitus says that the battle was a Roman victory: the enemy were slaughtered from the fifth hour of daylight to nightfall, and for ten miles

8294-496: The Rhine. Sometime this year, he received word from Segestes , who was held prisoner by Arminius's forces and needed help. Germanicus's troops rescued Segestes and took his pregnant daughter, Arminius's wife Thusnelda , into captivity. Again he marched back victorious and at the direction of Tiberius, accepted the title of Imperator . Arminius called his tribe, the Cherusci , and the surrounding tribes to arms. Germanicus coordinated

8437-456: The Roman period ( Pompey , Lucullus , Quintus Tullius Cicero ); several took place above Hellenistic foundations. Pliny the Elder remarks that "At Colophon, in the cave of the Clarian Apollo, there is a pool, by the drinking of which a power is acquired of uttering wonderful oracles; but the lives of those who drink of it are shortened". Iamblichus said that the oracle, during the ecstasy “...

8580-615: The Romans and laid down his arms in return for amnesty. This was nullified when Bato the Breucian was defeated in battle and subsequently executed by his former ally Bato the Daesitiate , but this left the Pannonians divided against each other, and the Romans were able to subdue the Breuci without battle. The pacification of the Breuci, with their large population and resources, was a significant victory for

8723-420: The Romans, who would be reinforced by eight cohorts of Breuci auxiliaries towards the end of the war. Bato the Daesitiate withdrew from Pannonia to Dalmatia, where he occupied the mountains of Bosnia and began conducting counter-attacks, most likely against the indigenous people who sided with the Romans. Later in the year, Tiberius left Lepidus in command of Siscia and Silvanus at Sirmium. Roman forces took

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8866-686: The Sacred Way, the Sphinx of Naxos , and fragments of reliefs from the Siphnian Treasury . Immediately adjacent to the exit is the inscription that mentions the Roman proconsul Gallio . Most of the ruins that survive today date from the most intense period of activity at the site in the sixth century BC. Ancient tradition refers to a succession of mythical temples on the site: first one built of olive branches from Tempe , then one built of beeswax and wings by bees, and thirdly one built by Hephaestus and Athena . The first archaeologically attested structure

9009-436: The Senate also dispatched a delegation to Germanicus' camp to send its condolences for the death of his grandfather and to grant him proconsular imperium . The delegation would not arrive until October. In Germany and Illyricum, the legions were in mutiny. In Germany, the legions in mutiny were those of the Lower Rhine under Aulus Caecina (the V Alaudae , XXI Rapax , I Germanica , and XX Valeria Victrix ). The army of

9152-632: The Varus disaster, and greatly recovered Roman prestige. In addition to the recovery of two of the three lost eagles, Germanicus had fought Arminius, the leader who destroyed the three Roman legions in AD 9. In leading his troops across the Rhine without recourse to Tiberius, he contradicted the advice of Augustus to keep that river as the boundary of the empire, and opened himself to potential doubts from Tiberius about his motives in taking such independent action. This error in political judgment gave Tiberius reason to controversially recall his nephew. Tacitus attributed

9295-448: The achievements of Alexander had he become emperor. In book eight of his Natural History , Pliny connects Germanicus, Augustus, and Alexander as fellow equestrians: when Alexander's horse Bucephalus died he named a city, Bucephalia , in his honor. Less monumental, Augustus' horse received a funeral mound, which Germanicus wrote a poem about. Piso was rumored to have been responsible for Germanicus' death. As accusations accumulated, it

9438-563: The altar and the temple façade, revealed Protogeometric pottery of the 10th century BC, attesting to the presence hinted at in myth. At Colophon, a Mycenaean-era tomb has been found, but the presence of Mycenaean pottery is uncertain. According to mythology the Greek seer Calchas , a participant in the Trojan War , died at Claros. He challenged Mopsus to see who had the greatest skill in divination , but lost and died of grief. According to legend

9581-421: The ancient world, as evidenced by the various monuments built there by most of the important ancient Greek city-states, demonstrating their fundamental Hellenic unity. Adjacent to the sacred precinct is a small modern town of the same name . Delphi shares the same root with the Greek word for womb, δελφύς delphys . Pytho (Πυθώ) is related to Pythia, the priestess serving as the oracle, and to Python ,

9724-779: The architecture at Delphi is generally Doric, a plain style, in keeping with the Phocian traditions that were Doric, the Athenians did not prefer the Doric. The stoa was built in their own preferred style, the Ionic order , the capitals of the columns being a sure indicator. In the Ionic order they are floral and ornate, although not so much as the Corinthian, which is in deficit there. The remaining porch structure contains seven fluted columns, unusually carved from single pieces of stone (most columns were constructed from

9867-434: The attackers dispersed on sight of Roman reinforcements. The Germans destroyed the nearby mound and altar dedicated to his father Drusus, but he had them both restored and celebrated funerary games with his legions in honor of his father. New barriers and earthworks were put in place, securing the area between Fort Aliso and the Rhine. Germanicus commanded eight legions with Gallic and Germanic auxiliary units overland across

10010-402: The burial of bones so that they could continue their war against the Germans. He made his way into the heartland of the Cherusci. At a location Tacitus calls the pontes longi ("long causeways"), in boggy lowlands somewhere near the Ems, Arminius's troops attacked the Romans. Arminius initially caught Germanicus's cavalry in a trap, inflicting minor casualties, but the Roman infantry reinforced

10153-399: The chasm causing the fumes to go to his brain; throwing him into a strange trance. Germanicus Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general and politician most famously known for his campaigns against Arminius in Germania . The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger , Germanicus was born into an influential branch of

10296-520: The cities and legions. Germanicus in turn ordered Piso's recall to Rome, although this action was probably beyond his authority. In the midst of this feud, Germanicus became ill and despite the fact Piso had removed himself to the port of Seleucia , he was convinced that Piso was somehow poisoning him. Tacitus reports that there were signs of black magic in Piso's house with hidden body-parts and Germanicus's name inscribed on lead tablets. Germanicus sent Piso

10439-436: The city seems to decline: its size is reduced and its trade contacts seem to be drastically diminished. Local pottery production is produced in large quantities: it is coarser and made of reddish clay, aiming at satisfying the needs of the inhabitants. The Sacred Way remained the main street of the settlement, transformed, however, into a street with commercial and industrial use. Around the agora were built workshops as well as

10582-483: The country, defeating any foe they encountered. Germanicus's successes in Germany had made him popular with the soldiers. He had dealt a significant blow to Rome's enemies, quelled an uprising of troops, and returned lost standards to Rome. His actions had increased his fame, and he had become very popular with the Roman people. Tiberius took notice, and had Germanicus recalled to Rome and informed him that he would be given

10725-408: The dark interval between Mycenaean and Hellenic times. His conflict with Ge for the possession of the cult site was represented under the legend of his slaying the serpent. One tale of the sanctuary's discovery states that a goatherd, who grazed his flocks on Parnassus, one day observed his goats playing with great agility upon nearing a chasm in the rock; the goatherd noticing this held his head over

10868-456: The day of Germanicus' death his sister Livilla gave birth to twins by Drusus. The oldest was named Germanicus and died young. In 37, Germanicus' only remaining son, Caligula, became emperor and renamed September Germanicus in honor of his father. Many Romans, in the account of Tacitus, considered Germanicus to be their equivalent to Alexander the Great, and believed that he would have easily surpassed

11011-472: The death of Germanicus, the Lex Valeria Aurelia . Although Tacitus stressed the honors paid to him, the funeral and processions were carefully modeled after those of Gaius and Lucius , Agrippa's sons. This served to emphasize the continuation of the domus Augusta across the transition from Augustus to Tiberius. Commemorative arches were built in his honor and not just in Rome, but at the frontier on

11154-512: The difference lost from lowering the sales tax. The kingdom of Commagene was split on whether or not to remain free or to become a province with both sides sending deputations, so Germanicus sent Quintus Servaeus to organize the province. Having settled these matters he traveled to Cyrrhus , a city in Syria between Antioch and the Euphrates , where he spent the rest of AD 18 in the winter quarters of

11297-486: The earliest known athletic statues at Delphi. The statues commemorate their feat of pulling their mother's cart several miles to the Sanctuary of Hera in the absence of oxen. The neighbors were most impressed and their mother asked Hera to grant them the greatest gift. When they entered Hera's temple, they fell into a slumber and never woke, dying at the height of their admiration, the perfect gift. The Charioteer of Delphi

11440-442: The early Roman Empire. Tiberius, Germanicus' uncle, became the second Roman emperor and would be succeeded by Germanicus' son Gaius . Germanicus was also the brother of the fourth emperor, Claudius, and the grandfather of the fifth emperor, Nero . When Augustus' chosen successor, Gaius Caesar , died in AD 4, he briefly considered Germanicus as his heir. His wife Livia persuaded him to choose his stepson Tiberius instead. As part of

11583-456: The east. The group, whose fragments are partially reassembled at the site, seems to have measured more than seven meters in height. In the sanctuary, rows of names of the countless grateful ancient visitors may still be seen, votive and memorial inscriptions on columns, on steps and walls and even on a curving marble bench: in their entirety the inscription of Clarus form the largest assembly of surviving Greek inscriptions. An elegant marble chair in

11726-466: The eastern and western extremities, and the path of the eagles crossed over Delphi where the omphalos , or navel of Gaia was found. According to Aeschylus in the prologue of the Eumenides , the oracle had origins in prehistoric times and the worship of Gaia , a view echoed by H. W. Parke, who described the evolution of beliefs associated with the site. He established that the prehistoric foundation of

11869-487: The emperor and other notable benefactors were erected here as evidenced by the remaining pedestals. In late, Antiquity workshops of artisans were also created within the agora. Delphi is famous for its many preserved athletic statues. It is known that Olympia originally housed far more of these statues, but time brought ruin to many of them, leaving Delphi as the main site of athletic statues. Kleobis and Biton , two brothers renowned for their strength, are modeled in two of

12012-719: The empire against the Germans in AD 11. The two generals crossed the Rhine , made various excursions into enemy territory and, in the beginning of autumn, recrossed the river. The campaigns of Tiberius and Germanicus in Germania in the years AD 11–12, combined with an alliance with the Marcomannic federation of Marbod , prevented the German coalition from crossing the Rhine and invading Gaul and Italy. In winter, Germanicus returned to Rome, where he was, after five mandates as quaestor and despite never having been aedile or praetor, appointed consul for

12155-426: The entrance of the upper site, continuing up the slope on the Sacred Way almost to the Temple of Apollo, are a large number of votive statues, and numerous so-called treasuries. These were built by many of the Greek city-states to commemorate victories and to thank the oracle for her advice, which was thought to have contributed to those victories. These buildings held the offerings made to Apollo; these were frequently

12298-492: The existence of a Cybele cult in early periods here. Games called the Claria were held at Claros every fifth year in honor of Apollo. It is unknown when the sanctuary was founded exactly and its origins are shrouded in mythology . Archaeological excavations revealed structures dating back to the 10th century BC. The high point for the fame of the sanctuary seems to have been the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and it had many visitors until

12441-469: The fortress and captured him. While Tiberius negotiated the terms of surrender, Germanicus was sent on a punitive expedition across the surrounding territory, during which he forced the surrender of the fortified town of Arduba and surrounding towns. He then sent a deputy to subdue the remaining districts and returned to Tiberius. After a distinguished start to his military career, Germanicus returned to Rome in late AD 9 to personally announce his victory. He

12584-457: The governor of Syria , Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso . During their feud, Germanicus became ill in Antioch and died on 10 October AD 19. His death has been attributed to poison by ancient sources, but that was never proven. As a famous general, he was widely popular and regarded as the ideal Roman long after his death. To the Roman people, Germanicus was the Roman equivalent of Alexander the Great due to

12727-439: The ground was littered with corpses and weapons. Arminius and his uncle Inguiomer were both wounded in the battle but evaded capture. The Roman soldiers involved on the battlefield honored Tiberius as Imperator , and raised a pile of arms as a trophy with the names of the defeated tribes inscribed beneath them. The sight of the Roman trophy constructed on the battlefield enraged the Germans who were preparing to retreat beyond

12870-576: The hardship of their military tasks, and vengeance against the centurions for their cruelty. After Germanicus arrived, the soldiers listed their complaints to him and attempted to proclaim him emperor. His open and affable manners made him popular with the soldiers, but he remained loyal to the emperor. When news of the mutiny reached the army of the Upper Rhine under Gaius Silius (the Legions II Augusta , XIII Gemina , XVI Gallica , and XIV Gemina )

13013-445: The hill from the Temple of Apollo giving spectators a view of the entire sanctuary and the valley below. It was originally built in the fourth century BC, but was remodeled on several occasions, particularly in 160/159 B.C. at the expenses of king Eumenes II of Pergamon and, in 67 A.D., on the occasion of emperor Nero's visit. The koilon (cavea) leans against the natural slope of the mountain whereas its eastern part overrides

13156-503: The historian Richard Alston says Tiberius had little reason to undermine his heir. Germanicus had a busy year in 17. He restored a temple of Spes , and allegedly won a chariot race in the name of Tiberius at the Olympic Games that year. However, Eusebius, our main reference for this, does not name Germanicus, and Tacitus makes no reference to this occasion either, which would have required Germanicus to make two trips to Greece within

13299-465: The imperial family; knights of Rome gave his name to a block of seats at a theatre in Rome, and rode behind his effigy on 15 July AD 20. After consulting with his family, Tiberius made his wishes known whereupon the Senate collected the honors into a commemorative decree, the Senatus Consultum de memoria honoranda Germanini Caesaris , and ordered the consuls of AD 20 to issue a public law honoring

13442-510: The initiative in AD 9, and pushed into Dalmatia. Tiberius divided his forces into three divisions: one under Silvanus, which advanced south-east from Sirmium; another commanded by Lepidus, which advanced north-west along the Una Valley from Siscia toward Burnum ; and the third led by Tiberius and Germanicus in the Dalmatian hinterland. The divisions under Lepidus and Silvanus practically exterminated

13585-507: The journey. At Delphi, Manto was commanded by Apollo to sail to Ionia with the remaining Thebans to found a colony there. When they arrived at the site where Claros would be founded later, they were seized by armed Cretans under Rhacius , the Cretan settler of Caria . After learning from Manto who they were and why they had come, Rhacius married her and allowed the Thebans to found Claros. Their heir

13728-612: The largest of the treasuries was that of Argos . Having built it in the late classical period, the Argives took great pride in establishing their place at Delphi amongst the other city-states. Completed in 380 BC, their treasury seems to draw inspiration mostly from the Temple of Hera located in the Argolis. However, recent analysis of the Archaic elements of the treasury suggest that its founding preceded this. Other identifiable treasuries are those of

13871-489: The loyalty of his troops, he led them on a raid against the Marsi , a Germanic people on the upper Ruhr river. Germanicus massacred the villages of the Marsi he encountered and pillaged the surrounding territory. On the way back to their winter quarters at Castra Vetera , they pushed successfully through the opposing tribes ( Bructeri , Tubantes , and Usipetes ) between the Marsi and the Rhine. Back at Rome, Tiberius instituted

14014-525: The main ruins at Delphi (at 38°28′49″N 22°30′28″E  /  38.48016°N 22.50789°E  / 38.48016; 22.50789 ). Three of the Doric columns have been restored, making it the most popular site at Delphi for tourists to take photographs. The architect of the "vaulted temple at Delphi" is named by Vitruvius , in De architectura Book VII, as Theodorus Phoceus (not Theodorus of Samos , whom Vitruvius names separately). The gymnasium , which

14157-574: The major buildings and structures of the sanctuary of Apollo and of the temple to Athena, the Athena Pronoia along with thousands of objects, inscriptions, and sculptures. During the Great Excavation architectural members from a fifth-century Christian basilica , were discovered that date to when Delphi was a bishopric. Other important Late Roman buildings are the Eastern Baths, the house with

14300-447: The name "Julius Caesar" while retaining his agnomen , becoming Germanicus Julius Caesar. Upon Germanicus' adoption into the Julii , his brother Claudius became the sole legal representative of his father, inheriting the agnomen "Germanicus" as the new head of the family. Germanicus was born in Rome on 24 May 15 BC to Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor and had two younger siblings:

14443-587: The nature of his death at a young age, his virtuous character, his dashing physique, and his military renown. Germanicus's praenomen (personal name) at birth is unknown, but he was probably named Nero Claudius Drusus after his father (conventionally called "Drusus"), or possibly Tiberius Claudius Nero after his paternal uncle . Some historians such as Iosif Constantin Drăgan believe he may have been named Decimus Claudius Nero or Decimus Claudius Drusus at his Dies lustricus , since his father's praenomen at birth

14586-463: The north, and ravaged the countryside between the Ems and the Lippe , and penetrated to the Teutoburg Forest, a mountain forest in western Germany situated between these two rivers. There, Germanicus and some of his men visited the site of the disastrous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, and began burying the remains of the Roman soldiers that had been left in the open. After half a day of the work, he called off

14729-457: The north–south valley between Amfissa and Itea . On the north side of the valley junction a spur of Parnassus looming over the valley made narrower by it is the site of ancient Krisa , which once was the ruling power of the entire valley system. Both Amphissa and Krissa are mentioned in the Iliad's Catalogue of Ships . It was a Mycenaean stronghold. Archaeological dates of the valley go back to

14872-442: The office of quaestor five years before the legal age in AD 7. He held that office until AD 11, and was elected consul for the first time in AD 12. The year after, he was made proconsul of Germania Inferior , Germania Superior , and all of Gaul . From there he commanded eight legions , about one-third of the entire Roman army at the time, which he led against the Germanic tribes in his campaigns from AD 14 to 16. He avenged

15015-457: The only intra muros early Christian basilica. The domestic area spread mainly in the western part of the settlement. The houses were rather spacious and two large cisterns provided running water to them. The museum houses artifacts associated with ancient Delphi, including the earliest known notation of a melody , the Charioteer of Delphi , Kleobis and Biton , golden treasures discovered beneath

15158-408: The oracle at Claros advised the citizens of Smyrna to move from Old Smyrna to the new Smyrna on Mount Pagos (modern Kadifekale ), which was refounded there by Alexander the Great . The Smyrnaeans decided to follow up on the advice. Old Smyrna had lost its importance at the time, but after its second foundation it would become one of the most prosperous cities of Asia. Many monuments were erected in

15301-618: The oracle is described by three early writers: the author of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo , Aeschylus in the prologue to the Eumenides , and Euripides in a chorus in the Iphigeneia in Tauris . Parke goes on to say, "This version [Euripides] evidently reproduces in a sophisticated form the primitive tradition which Aeschylus for his own purposes had been at pains to contradict: the belief that Apollo came to Delphi as an invader and appropriated for himself

15444-426: The oracle, in its final grand though uncompleted Hellenistic phase, 3rd century BC. The Sacred Way was excavated in 1988 under J. de La Genière. Since then much alluvial spoil has been carted off-site and Claros was prepared to receive visitors. The excavations conducted since 1988 have demonstrated that there was a religious area there around a spring of fresh water from the 9th century BC. The first known construction

15587-431: The people began observing a iustitium before the Senate had officially declared it. Tacitus says this shows the true grief that the people of Rome felt, and this also shows that by this time the people already knew the proper way to commemorate dead princes without an edict from a magistrate. At his funeral, there were no procession statues of Germanicus. There were abundant eulogies and reminders of his fine character and

15730-469: The peristyle, the Roman Agora , and the large cistern. At the outskirts of the city late Roman cemeteries were located. To the southeast of the precinct of Apollo lay the so-called Southeastern Mansion, a building with a 65-meter-long façade, spread over four levels, with four triclinia and private baths. Large storage jars kept the provisions, whereas other pottery vessels and luxury items were discovered in

15873-517: The programme of the Pythian Games in the late Hellenistic and Roman period. The theatre was abandoned when the sanctuary declined in Late Antiquity. After its excavation and initial restoration it hosted theatrical performances during the Delphic Festivals organized by A. Sikelianos and his wife, Eva Palmer, in 1927 and in 1930. It has recently been restored again as the serious landslides posed

16016-518: The rebels out of the countryside, offering amnesty to those tribes that would lay down their arms, and implemented a scorched earth policy in an effort to starve the enemy out. During this period, Germanicus' detachments were in action against the Mazaei , whom he defeated. The rebel position in Pannonia collapsed in AD 8 when one of their commanders, Bato the Breucian , surrendered their leader Pinnes to

16159-441: The recall to Tiberius' jealousy of the glory Germanicus had acquired, and, with some bitterness, claims that Germanicus could have completed the conquest of Germania had he been given full operational independence. At the beginning of AD 17, Germanicus returned to the capital and on 26 May he celebrated a triumph. He had captured a few important prisoners, but Arminius was still at large. And yet, Strabo, who may have been in Rome at

16302-537: The religious competitions and the fame of the oracle. To celebrate the major sacrifices before crowds consisting of Greeks and non-Greeks, four rows of iron rings attached to heavy blocks allowed a hundred victims to be killed simultaneously. Claros is the only sanctuary in the Greek world which offers a clear picture of the way priests could perform the hecatomb . Delphi Delphi ( / ˈ d ɛ l f aɪ , ˈ d ɛ l f i / ; Greek : Δελφοί [ðelˈfi] ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ),

16445-475: The rooms. Among the finds stands out a tiny leopard made of mother of pearl, possibly of Sassanian origin, on display in the ground floor gallery of the Delphi Archaeological Museum . The mansion dates to the beginning of the fifth century and functioned as a private house until 580, later however it was transformed into a potter workshop. It is only then, in the beginning of the sixth century, that

16588-505: The rout and checked them. The fighting lasted for two days, with neither side achieving a decisive victory. Germanicus's forces withdrew and returned to the Rhine. In preparations for his next campaign, Germanicus sent Publius Vitellius and Gaius Antius to collect taxes in Gaul, and instructed Silius, Anteius, and Caecina to build a fleet. A fort on the Lippe called Castra Aliso was besieged, but

16731-484: The same methods as used at Delphi in their own day. So much is implied by their allusions to tripods and prophetic seats... [he continues on p. 6] ...Another very archaic feature at Delphi also confirms the ancient associations of the place with the Earth goddess. This was the Omphalos, an egg-shaped stone which was situated in the innermost sanctuary of the temple in historic times. Classical legend asserted that it marked

16874-511: The sanctuary has serpent arms, a reminder of the chthonic nature of all genuine oracles among the Hellenes, and which likely reflects Apollo's conquering of Python and subsequent establishment of the temple at Delphi. After the beginning of the Roman Province of Asia (end of the 2nd century BC), prominent citizens of Colophon helped to increase the authority of the sanctuary, the importance of

17017-519: The sea to Lesbos and then to Asia Minor. There he visited the site of Troy and the oracle of Apollo Claros near Colophon . Piso left at the same time as Germanicus, but traveled directly to Athens and then to Rhodes where he and Germanicus met for the first time. From there Piso left for Syria where he immediately began replacing the officers with men loyal to himself in a bid to win the loyalty of his soldiers. Next Germanicus traveled through Syria to Armenia where he installed king Artaxias as

17160-533: The site suspected it was ancient Delphi. Before a systematic excavation of the site could be undertaken, the village had to be relocated, but the residents resisted. The opportunity to relocate the village occurred when it was substantially damaged by an earthquake, with villagers offered a completely new village in exchange for the old site. In 1893, the French Archaeological School removed vast quantities of soil from numerous landslides to reveal both

17303-418: The slaves to the deity. The koilon was divided horizontally in two zones via a corridor called diazoma. The lower zone had 27 rows of seats and the upper one only eight. Six radially arranged stairs divided the lower part of the koilon in seven tiers. The theatre could accommodate approximately 4,500 spectators. On the occasion of Nero 's visit to Greece in 67 A.D. various alterations took place. The orchestra

17446-466: The succession arrangements, Augustus adopted Tiberius on 26 June AD 4, but first required him to adopt Germanicus, thus placing him next in the line of succession after Tiberius. Germanicus married Augustus' granddaughter, Agrippina the Elder , probably the next year, to further strengthen his ties to the imperial family. The couple had nine children: Nero Julius Caesar ; Drusus Caesar ; Tiberius Julius Caesar (not to be confused with emperor Tiberius);

17589-451: The time Germanicus had arrived in Pannonia, the rebels had resorted to raiding from the mountain fortresses to which they had withdrawn. Because the Roman legions were not so effective at countering this tactic, Tiberius deployed his auxiliary forces and divided his army into small detachments, allowing them to cover more ground and conduct a war of attrition against the rebels in their strong defensive positions. The Romans also began to drive

17732-485: The time, in mentioning the name of Thusnelda , the captured pregnant wife of Arminius, draws attention to the fact that her husband, the victor at Teutoburg Forest, had not been captured and the war itself had not been won. [1] Nonetheless, this did not take away from the spectacle of his triumph: a near contemporary calendar marks 26 May as the day in "which Germanicus Caesar was borne into the city in triumph", while coins issued under his son Gaius (Caligula) depicted him on

17875-567: The tribes between the Rhine and the Elbe, has dedicated this monument to Mars , Jupiter , and Augustus ." Germanicus sent some troops back to the Rhine, with some of them taking the land route, but most of them took the fast route and traveled by boat. They went down the Ems toward the North Sea, but as they reached the sea, a storm struck, sinking many of the boats and killing many men and horses. Then Germanicus ordered Gaius Silius to march against

18018-531: The west and Livadeia , capital of Voiotia , in the east. The road follows the northern slope of a pass between Mount Parnassus on the north and the mountains of the Desfina Peninsula on the south. The pass is of the river Pleistos , running from east to west, forming a natural boundary across the north of the Desfina Peninsula, and providing an easy route across it. On the west side the valley joins

18161-481: The year AD 12. He shared the consulship with Gaius Fonteius Capito . He continued to advocate for defendants in court during his consulship, a popular move reminiscent of his previous work defending the accused in front of Augustus. He also courted popularity by ministering the Ludi Martiales (games of Mars), as mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Historia Naturalis , in which he released two hundred lions in

18304-479: Was " Decimus ". He took the agnomen (nickname) "Germanicus", awarded posthumously to his father in honor of his victories in Germania , at which point he nominally became head of the family in 9 BC. By AD 4 his uncle Tiberius adopted Germanicus as his son and heir. As a result, Germanicus was adopted out of the gens Claudia and into that of the gens Julia . In accordance with Roman naming conventions , he adopted

18447-574: Was an ancient sacred precinct and the seat of Pythia , the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world . The ancient Greeks considered the centre of the world to be in Delphi, marked by the stone monument known as the Omphalos of Delphi (navel). According to the Suda , Delphi took its name from the Delphyne , the she-serpent ( drakaina ) who lived there and

18590-459: Was built in the Roman period, but the remains visible at present along the north and northwestern sides date to the Late Antique period. An open market was probably established, where the visitors would buy ex-votos, such as statuettes and small tripods, to leave as offerings to the gods. It also served as an assembly area for processions during sacred festivals. During the empire , statues of

18733-494: Was built in the seventh century BC and is attributed in legend to the architects Trophonios and Agamedes . It burnt down in 548/7 BC and the Alcmaeonids built a new structure which itself burnt down in the fourth century BC. The ruins of the Temple of Apollo that are visible today date from the fourth century BC, and are of a peripteral Doric building. It was erected by Spintharus , Xenodoros, and Agathon. From

18876-454: Was deemed necessary to settle matters. Germanicus was given imperium maius (extraordinary command) over the other governors and commanders of the area he was to operate; however, Tiberius had replaced the governor of Syria with Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso , who was meant to be his helper ( adiutor ), but turned out to be hostile. According to Tacitus, this was an attempt to separate Germanicus from his familiar troops and weaken his influence, but

19019-420: Was erased from the base of one statue in particular as part of his damnatio memoriae . Yet, in a show of clemency not unlike that of the emperor, the Senate had Piso's property returned and divided equally between his two sons, on condition that his daughter Calpurnia be given 1,000,000 sesterces as dowry and a further 4,000,000 as personal property. His wife Plancina was absolved. In AD 4, Germanicus wrote

19162-533: Was given more time to plead than the prosecutors, but it made no difference: before the trial was over Piso died; ostensibly by suicide, but Tacitus supposes Tiberius may have had him murdered before he could implicate the emperor in Germanicus' death. The accusations brought against Piso are numerous, including: He was found guilty and punished posthumously for treason . The Senate had his property proscribed, forbade mourning on his account, removed images of his likeness, such as statues and portraits, and his name

19305-515: Was honored with a triumphal insignia (without an actual triumph) and the rank (not the actual title) of praetor . He was also given permission to be a candidate for consul before the regular time and the right to speak first in the Senate after the consuls. According to Cassius Dio, Germanicus was a popular quaestor because he acted as an advocate as much in capital jurisdiction cases before Augustus as he did before lesser judges in standard quaestiones (trials). He successfully defended, for example,

19448-405: Was killed by the god Apollo (in other accounts the serpent was the male serpent ( drakon ) Python ). The sacred precinct occupies a delineated region on the south-western slope of Mount Parnassus . It is now an extensive archaeological site, and since 1938 a part of Parnassos National Park . The precinct is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in having had a great influence in

19591-653: Was not long before the well known accuser, Lucius Fulcinius Trio , brought charges against him. The Pisones were longtime supporters of the Claudians, and had allied themselves with Octavian early on. The continued support of the Pisones and his own friendship with Piso made Tiberius hesitant to hear the case himself. After briefly hearing both sides, Tiberius referred the case to the Senate, making no effort to hide his deep anger toward Piso. Tiberius made allowances for Piso to summon witnesses of all social orders, including slaves, and he

19734-440: Was paved and delimited by a parapet made of stone. The proscenium was replaced by a low pedestal, the pulpitum ; its façade was decorated in relief with scenes from myths about Hercules. Further repairs and transformations took place in the second century A.D. Pausanias mentions that these were carried out under the auspices of Herod Atticus . In antiquity, the theatre was used for the vocal and musical contests that formed part of

19877-413: Was referred to by Pindar , and this monument was sought by archaeologists for over two centuries. Traces of it have recently been found at Gonia in the plain of Krisa in the place where the original stadium had been sited. A retaining wall was built to support the terrace housing the construction of the second temple of Apollo in 548 BC. Its name is taken from the polygonal masonry of which it

20020-407: Was scheduled to hold the consulship next year with the emperor. As a result, in AD 18, Germanicus was granted the eastern part of the empire, just as Agrippa and Tiberius had received before, when they were successors to the emperor. Following his triumph, Germanicus was sent to Asia to reorganize the provinces and kingdoms there, which were in such disarray that the attention of a domus Augusta

20163-590: Was sent to Illyricum the same year to help Tiberius suppress a rebellion by the Pannonians and Dalmatians . He brought with him an army of levied citizens and former slaves to reinforce Tiberius at Siscia , his base of operations in Illyricum. Towards the end of the year, additional reinforcements arrived; three legions from Moesia commanded by Aulus Caecina Severus , and two legions with Thracian cavalry and auxiliary troops from Anatolia commanded by Silvanus . By

20306-516: Was the seer Mopsus . Thus the origin of the oracle at Clarus was remembered by Greeks of the Classical period as Minoan - Mycenean in origin. Archaeological investigations lend support to the myth. Intensely settled Mycenaean sites have been identified at Ephesus to the south and numerous other nearby sites. Miletus had a historical Minoan settlement, discovered in 1995/96 by the German school. In Claros itself, deep exploratory trenches dug between

20449-485: Was the true motive. The death of Germanicus in dubious circumstances greatly affected Tiberius's popularity in Rome, leading to the creation of a climate of fear in Rome itself. Also suspected of connivance in his death was Tiberius's chief advisor, Sejanus , who would, in the 20s, create an atmosphere of fear in Roman noble and administrative circles by the use of treason trials and the role of delatores , or informers. When Rome had received word of Germanicus' death,

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