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Long ago, in the mists of time, Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the world to find the center of the Earth, and they met over Delphi, Greece. Concluding that Delphi was the “navel of the world,” Zeus placed the Omphalos, or sacred stone, at that place. Delphi became the religious and cultural heart of the ancient world.

Central to Delphi was the Temple of Apollo, location of the Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi. Down in the lowest parts of the Temple, this woman would enter an ecstatic state, brought on by breathing gases that came from the earth below, and in that state give pronouncements to the priests, who in turn would relate them to the fee-paying patrons who came for consultation.

The city of Delphi is located on the side of Mount Parnassus, and even on a cloudy day offered spectacular views toward the Gulf of Corinth. Among the many civic structures there are an amphitheater and the stadium which was the site of the Pythian games, second in importance only to the Olympic games.