| During the Hellenistic period, the Greek world | | | | defeated the Macedonians at Pydna; and at Delphi, |
| underwent a radical transformation. The old faith was | | | | upon the pedestal which Perseus, the Macedonian king, |
| shaken; the cities gradually lost their independence and | | | | had prepared for his statue, the Roman set up his own |
| merged within the larger context of great kingdoms. | | | | equestrian figure. The hour of Rome had come. In 86 |
| The powerful kings began to rely on their own armies | | | | B.C., Sulla removed all the valuable offerings that had |
| rather than on divine assistance. They still consulted | | | | survived the Fourth Sacred War; and in 83 B.C., |
| the oracle and sent rich gifts, but this was done in a | | | | barbarians from Thrace plundered the sanctuary and |
| wish to display their own wealth rather than honour the | | | | set fire to the temple; this was the first time, according |
| god. In 279 B.C. once again with the miraculous | | | | to tradition, when the flame burning since time |
| assistance of Apollo, Delphi was saved from the brutal | | | | immemorial was extinguished, depriving both Greeks |
| invasion of the Galatians. To commemorate this event, | | | | and barbarians of its beneficent radiance. |
| the Aitolians - who now ruled the area - instituted a | | | | Nevertheless, the Delphic sanctuary still prospered; |
| new annual festival, the Soteria (Salvation festival). This | | | | Nero removed no less than 500 statues from Delphi; |
| invasion is mentioned in one of the two Delphic hymns | | | | and yet when Pausanias visited it in the 2nd century |
| engraved on the walls of the Treasury of the | | | | A.D., he still found it full of masterpieces. However, |
| Athenians; these hymns have become famous | | | | when the Roman emperors were converted to |
| because the musical notation that accompanied them | | | | Christianity, the ancient religion no longer had any place |
| has survived in the intervals between the lines. The | | | | in the new State. Constantine the Great took away |
| kings of Pergamon, well known for their generosity and | | | | from Delphi innumerable works of art for the |
| love of the arts, built stoas, restored the old | | | | embellishment of his new capital; among these was |
| wall-paintings by Polygnotos, sent numerous offerings, | | | | the famous offering of the Greeks for their victory at |
| but also made sure that their statues occupied a | | | | Plataia; its base can still be seen today not far from |
| prominent position in the sanctuary. | | | | Hagia Sophia. Theodosios the Great prohibited the |
| The desecration and decline of the sanctuary took | | | | ancient cult and games in A.D. 394. |
| place in 168 B.C. when the Roman Aemilius Paulus | | | | |