document_title: Epistle to the Romans

question_text: who is the book of romans written to

question_tokens: who is the book of romans written to

text: Epistle to the Romans

text: General presentation[edit]

text: In the opinion of Jesuit scholar Joseph Fitzmyer, the book "overwhelms the reader by the density and sublimity of the topic with which it deals, the gospel of the justification and salvation of Jew and Greek alike by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, revealing the uprightness and love of God the Father."[2]

text: N. T. Wright notes that Romans is

text: ...neither a systematic theology nor a summary of Paul's lifework, but it is by common consent his masterpiece. It dwarfs most of his other writings, an Alpine peak towering over hills and villages. Not all onlookers have viewed it in the same light or from the same angle, and their snapshots and paintings of it are sometimes remarkably unalike. Not all climbers have taken the same route up its sheer sides, and there is frequent disagreement on the best approach. What nobody doubts is that we are here dealing with a work of massive substance, presenting a formidable intellectual challenge while offering a breathtaking theological and spiritual vision.[3]

text: Authorship[edit]

text: The scholarly consensus is that Paul wrote the Epistle to the Romans.[4]

text: C. E. B. Cranfield, in the introduction to his commentary on Romans, says:

text: The denial of Paul's authorship of Romans by such critics ... is now rightly relegated to a place among the curiosities of NT scholarship. Today no responsible criticism disputes its Pauline origin. The evidence of its use in the Apostolic Fathers is clear, and before the end of the second century it is listed and cited as Paul's. Every extant early list of NT books includes it among his letters. The external evidence of authenticity could indeed hardly be stronger; and it is altogether borne out by the internal evidence, linguistic, stylistic, literary, historical and theological.[5]

text: Dating[edit]

text: The letter was most probably written while Paul was in Corinth, probably while he was staying in the house of Gaius, and transcribed by Tertius, his amanuensis.[6] There are a number of reasons why Corinth is considered most plausible. Paul was about to travel to Jerusalem on writing the letter, which matches Acts[Acts 20:3] where it is reported that Paul stayed for three months in Greece. This probably implies Corinth as it was the location of Paul’s greatest missionary success in Greece.[7] Additionally, Phoebe was a deacon of the church in Cenchreae, a port to the east of Corinth, and would have been able to convey the letter to Rome after passing through Corinth and taking a ship from Corinth’s west port.[7] Erastus, mentioned in Romans 16:23, also lived in Corinth, being the city's commissioner for public works and city treasurer at various times, again indicating that the letter was written in Corinth.[8]

text: The precise time at which it was written is not mentioned in the epistle, but it was obviously written when the collection for Jerusalem had been assembled and Paul was about to "go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints", that is, at the close of his second visit to Greece, during the winter preceding his last visit to that city.[9] The majority of scholars writing on Romans propose the letter was written in late 55/early 56 or late 56/early 57.[10] Early 55 and early 58 both have some support, while German New Testament scholar Gerd Lüdemann argues for a date as early as 51/52 (or 54/55), following on from Knox, who proposed 53/54. Lüdemann is the only serious challenge to the consensus of mid to late 50s.[11]

text: Subscriptions[edit]

text: Some manuscripts have a subscription at the end of the Epistle:

text:
προς Ρωμαιους ("to the Romans") is found in these manuscripts: Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Vaticanus, Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, Codex Claromontanus;
προς Ρωμαιους εγραφη απο Κορινθου ("to the Romans it was written from Corinth"): B2, D2 (P);
προς Ρωμαιους εγραφη απο Κορινθου δια Φοιβης της διακονου ("to the Romans it was written from Corinth by Phoebus the deacon"): 42, 90, 216, 339, 462, 466*, 642;
εγραφη η προς Ρωμαιους επιστολη δια Τερτιου επεμφτη δε δια Φοιβης απο Κορινθιων της εν Κεγχρεαις εκκλησιας ("the epistle to the Romans was written by Tertius and was sent by Phoebus from the Corinthians of the church in Cenchreae"): only in 337;
προς Ρωμαιους εγραφη απο Κορινθου δια Φοιβης της διακονου της εν Κεγχρεαις εκκλησιας ("to the Romans it was written from Corinth by Phoebus the deacon of the church in Cenchreae"): 101, 241, 460, 466, 469, 602, 603, 605, 618, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1932, followed by Textus Receptus.[12]

text: Paul's life in relation to his epistle[edit]

text: For ten years before writing the letter (approx. 47–57), Paul had traveled around the territories bordering the Aegean Sea evangelizing. Churches had been planted in the Roman provinces of Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia. Paul, considering his task complete, wanted to preach the gospel in Spain, where he would not "build upon another man’s foundation".[Rom 15:20][13] This allowed him to visit Rome on the way, a long-time ambition of his. The letter to the Romans, in part, prepares them and gives reasons for his visit.[13]

text: In addition to Paul’s geographic location, his religious views are important. First, Paul was a Hellenistic Jew with a Pharisaic background (see Gamaliel), integral to his identity: see Paul the Apostle and Judaism for details. His concern for his people is one part of the dialogue and runs throughout the letter. Second, the other side of the dialogue is Paul’s conversion and calling to follow Christ in the early 30s.

text: The churches in Rome[edit]

text: The most probable ancient account of the beginning of Christianity in Rome is given by a 4th-century writer known as Ambrosiaster:[14]

text: It is established that there were Jews living in Rome in the times of the Apostles, and that those Jews who had believed [in Christ] passed on to the Romans the tradition that they ought to profess Christ but keep the law [Torah] ... One ought not to condemn the Romans, but to praise their faith, because without seeing any signs or miracles and without seeing any of the apostles, they nevertheless accepted faith in Christ, although according to a Jewish rite.[15]

text: From Adam Clarke:

text: The occasion of writing the epistle: ... Paul had made acquaintance with all circumstances of the Christians at Rome ... and finding that it was ... partly of heathens converted to Christianity, and partly of Jews, who had, with many remaining prejudices, believed in Jesus as the true Messiah, and that many contentions arose from the claims of the Gentiles to equal privileges with the Jews, and from absolute refusal of the Jews to admit these claims, unless the Gentile converts become circumcised; he wrote this epistle to adjust and settle these differences.[16]

text: At this time, the Jews made up a substantial number in Rome, and their synagogues, frequented by many, enabled the Gentiles to become acquainted with the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Consequently, churches composed of both Jews and Gentiles were formed at Rome. According to Irenaeus, a 2nd-century Church Father, the church at Rome was founded directly by the apostles Peter and Paul.[17] However, many modern scholars disagree with Irenaeus, holding that while little is known of the circumstances of the church's founding, it was not founded by Paul:[18]

text: Many of the brethren went out to meet Paul on his approach to Rome. There is evidence that Christians were then in Rome in considerable numbers and probably had more than one place of meeting.

text: Note the large number of names in Romans 16:3–15 of those then in Rome, and verses 5, 15 and 16 indicate there was more than one church assembly or company of believers in Rome. Verse 5 mentions a church that met in the house of Aquila and Priscilla. Verses 14 and 15 each mention groupings of believers and saints.[20]

text: Jews were expelled from Rome because of disturbances around AD 49 by the edict of Claudius.[21] Fitzmyer claims that both Jews and Jewish Christians were expelled as a result of their infighting.[22] Claudius died around the year AD 54, and his successor, Emperor Nero, allowed the Jews back into Rome, but then, after the Great Fire of Rome of 64, Christians were persecuted.  Fitzmyer argues that with the return of the Jews to Rome in 54 new conflict arose between the Gentile Christians and the Jewish Christians who had formerly been expelled.[23] Keck thinks Gentile Christians may have developed a dislike of or looked down on Jews (see also Antisemitism and Responsibility for the death of Jesus), because they theologically rationalized that Jews were no longer God's people.[24]

text: Style[edit]

text: Scholars often have difficulty assessing whether Romans is a letter or an epistle, a relevant distinction in form-critical analysis:

text: A letter is something non-literary, a means of communication between persons who are separated from each other. Confidential and personal in nature, it is intended only for the person or persons to whom it is addressed, and not at all for the public or any kind of publicity...An Epistle is an artistic literary form, just like the dialogue, the oration, or the drama. It has nothing in common with the letter except its form: apart from that one might venture the paradox that the epistle is the opposite of a real letter. The contents of the epistle are intended for publicity—they aim at interesting "the public."[25]

text: Joseph Fitzmyer argues, from evidence put forth by Stirewalt, that the style of Romans is an "essay-letter."[26] Philip Melanchthon, a writer during the Reformation, suggested that Romans was caput et summa universae doctrinae christianae ("a summary of all Christian doctrine").[27] While some scholars attempt to suggest, like Melanchthon, that it is a type of theological treatise, this view largely ignores chapters 14 and 15 of Romans. There are also many "noteworthy elements" missing from Romans that are included in other areas of the Pauline corpus.[28] The breakdown of Romans as a treatise began with F.C. Baur in 1836 when he suggested "this letter had to be interpreted according to the historical circumstances in which Paul wrote it."[27]

text: Paul sometimes uses a style of writing common in his time called a "diatribe". He appears to be responding to a "heckler" (probably an imaginary one based on Paul's encounters with real objections in his previous preaching), and the letter is structured as a series of arguments. In the flow of the letter, Paul shifts his arguments, sometimes addressing the Jewish members of the church, sometimes the Gentile membership and sometimes the church as a whole.[citation needed]

text: Purposes of writing[edit]

text: To review the current scholarly viewpoints on the purpose of Romans, along with a bibliography, see Dictionary of Paul and His Letters.[29] For a 16th-century "Lollard" reformer view, see the work of William Tyndale. In his prologue to his translation of the book of Romans, which was largely taken from the prologue of German Reformer Martin Luther, Tyndale writes that:

text: ... this epistle is the principal and most excellent part of the new testament, and most pure evangelion, that is to say glad tidings and what we call the gospel, and also a light and a way in unto the whole scripture ... The sum and whole cause of the writings of this epistle, is, to prove that a man is justified by faith only: which proposition whoso denieth, to him is not only this epistle and all that Paul writeth, but also the whole scripture, so locked up that he shall never understand it to his soul's health. And to bring a man to the understanding and feeling that faith only justifieth, Paul proveth that the whole nature of man is so poisoned and so corrupt, yea and so dead concerning godly living or godly thinking, that it is impossible for her to keep the law in the sight of God.[30]

text: Contents[edit]

text: This essay-letter composed by Paul was written to a specific audience at a specific time; to understand it, the situations of both Paul and the recipients must be understood.

text: Prologue (1:1–15)[edit]

text: Greeting (1:1–7)[edit]

text: The introduction[Rom 1:1–16] provides some general notes about Paul. He introduces his apostleship here and introductory notes about the gospel he wishes to preach to the church at Rome. Jesus' human line stems from David.[1:3] Paul, however, does not limit his ministry to Jews. Paul's goal is that the Gentiles would also hear the gospel.[1:5]

text: Prayer of Thanksgiving (1:8–15)[edit]

text: He commends the Romans for their faith.[1:8] Paul also speaks of the past obstacles that have blocked his coming to Rome earlier.[1:11–13]

text: Salvation in the Christ (1:16 –8:39)[edit]

text: Righteousness of God (1:16–17)[edit]

text: Paul's announcement that he is not "ashamed" (epaiscúnomai) of his gospel because it holds power (dúnamis). These two verses form a backdrop for the rest of the book. First, we note that Paul is unashamed of his love for this gospel that he preaches about Jesus Christ. He also notes that he is speaking to the "Jew first."[1:16] There is significance to this, but much of it is scholarly conjecture as the relationship of Paul the Apostle and Judaism is still debated. We are hard-pressed to find an answer to such a question without knowing more about the audience in question. Wayne Brindle argues, based on Paul's former writings against the Judaizers in Galatians and 2 Corinthians, that rumors had probably spread about Paul totally negating the Jewish existence in a Christian world (see also Antinomianism in the New Testament and Supersessionism). Paul may have used the "Jew first" approach to counter such a view.[31]

text: Condemnation: The Universal corruption of Gentiles and Jews (1:18 –3:20)[edit]

text: The judgment of God (1:18–32)[edit]

text: Paul now begins into the main thrust of his letter. He begins by suggesting that humans have taken up ungodliness and wickedness for which there will be wrath from God.[1:18] People have taken God's invisible image and made him into an idol. Paul draws heavily here from the Wisdom of Solomon.[32] He condemns unnatural sexual behavior and warns that such behavior will result in a depraved body and mind ("reprobate mind" in the King James Version) [1:26–27] and says that people who do such things (including murder and wickedness [1:29]) are worthy of death.[1:32] Paul stands firmly against the idol worship system which was common in Rome. Several scholars believe the passage is a non-Pauline interpolation.[33]

text: Paul's warning of hypocrites (2:1–4)[edit]

text: On the traditional Protestant interpretation, Paul here calls out Jews who are condemning others for not following the law when they themselves are also not following the law. Stanley Stowers, however, has argued on rhetorical grounds that Paul is in these verses not addressing a Jew at all but rather an easily recognizable caricature of the typical boastful person (ὁ ἀλαζων). Stowers writes, "There is absolutely no justification for reading 2:1–5 as Paul's attack on 'the hypocrisy of the Jew.' No one in the first century would have identified ho alazon with Judaism. That popular interpretation depends upon anachronistically reading later Christian characterizations of Jews as 'hypocritical Pharisees'".[34] See also Anti-Judaism.

text: Justification: The Gift of Grace and Forgiveness through Faith (3:21 –5:11)[edit]

text: Paul says that a righteousness from God has made itself known apart from the law, to which the law and prophets testify, and this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus to all who believe.[3:21–22] He describes justification – legally clearing the believer of the guilt and penalty of sin – as a gift of God,[3:24] and not the work of man (lest he might boast), but by faith.[3:28]

text: Assurance of salvation (5 –11)[edit]

text: In chapters five through eight, Paul argues that believers can be assured of their hope in salvation, having been freed from the bondage of sin. Paul teaches that through faith,[3:28] [4:3] the faithful have been joined with Jesus[5:1] and freed from sin.[6:1–2] [6:18] Believers should celebrate in the assurance of salvation[12:12] and be certain that no external force or party can take their salvation away from them.[8:38-39][35]  This promise is open to everyone since everyone has sinned,[3:23] save the one who paid for all of them.[3:24]

text: In chapters 9–11 Paul addresses the faithfulness of God to the Israelites, where he says that God has been faithful to his promise. Paul hopes that all Israelites will come to realize the truth[9:1–5] since he himself was also an Israelite,[11:1] and had in the past been a persecutor of Early Christians. In Romans 9–11 Paul talks about how the nation of Israel has been cast away, and the conditions under which Israel will be God's chosen nation again: when Israel returns to its faith, sets aside its unbelief.[11:19–24]

text: In Romans 7:1, Paul says that humans are under the law while we live: "Know ye not...that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?" However, Jesus' death on the cross makes believers dead to the law (7:4, "Wherefore, my brethren, ye are also become dead to the law by the body of Christ"), according to an antinomistic interpretation.

text: Transformation of believers (12 –15:13)[edit]

text: From chapter 12 through the first part of chapter 15, Paul outlines how the Gospel transforms believers and the behaviour that results from such a transformation. This transformation is described as a "renewing of your mind" (12:2),[36] a transformation that Douglas J. Moo characterizes as “the heart of the matter.”[37] It is a transformation so radical that it amounts to “a transfiguration of your brain,” a "metanoia", a “mental revolution.”[38]

text: Paul goes on to describe how believers should live. Christians are no longer under the law, that is, no longer bound by the law of Moses,[39] but under the grace of God, see Law and grace. We do not need to live under the law because to the extent our minds have been renewed, we will know "almost instinctively" what God wants of us. The law then provides an "objective standard" for judging progress in the "lifelong process" of our mind's renewal.[40]

text: To the extent they have been set free from sin by renewed minds (Romans 6:18),[41] believers are no longer bound to sin. Believers are free to live in obedience to God and love everybody. As Paul says in Romans 13:10, "love (ἀγάπη) worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of law".[42]

text: Obedience to earthly powers (13:1–7)[edit]

text: The fragment in Romans 13:1–7 dealing with obedience to earthly powers is considered by some, for example James Kallas,[43] to be an interpolation.[44] (See also the Great Commandment and Christianity and politics). Paul Tillich accepts the historical authenticity of Romans 13:1–7, but claims it has been misinterpreted by churches with an anti-revolutionary bias:

text: One of the many politico-theological abuses of biblical statements is the understanding of Paul’s words [Romans 13:1–7] as justifying the anti-revolutionary bias of some churches, particularly the Lutheran. But neither these words nor any other New Testament statement deals with the methods of gaining political power. In Romans, Paul is addressing eschatological enthusiasts, not a revolutionary political movement.[45]

text: The passage was cited by Jeff Sessions to justify separating immigrant children from their parents,[46] in the 1840s and 1850s to justify Slavery in the United States,[citation needed] and prior to the American Revolution to both support and reject the right of King George's rule.[citation needed]

text: Epilogue (15:1 –16:23)[edit]

text:
Admonition (15:1–7)
Summary of the Epistle (15:8)

text: Paul's ministry and travel plans (16:14–27)[edit]

text: The concluding verses contain a description of his travel plans, personal greetings and salutations. One-third of the twenty-one Christians identified in the greetings are women, some of whom played an important role in the early church at Rome. Additionally, none of these Christians answer to the name Peter, although according to the Catholic tradition, he had been ruling as Pope in Rome for about 25 years. Possibly related was the Incident at Antioch between Paul and Cephas.

text:
Personal greetings (16:1–23 [24])
Closing doxology (16:25–27)

text: Hermeneutics[edit]

text: Catholic interpretation[edit]

text: Catholics accept the necessity of faith for salvation but point to Romans 2:5–11 for the necessity of living a virtuous life as well:[47]

text: But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

text: Throughout his writings, St. Augustine strongly affirms the Catholic understanding of this and other such Scriptural admonitions. In his sermons to his Catholic congregations, he is especially careful to warn them against an inordinate desire for a complete assurance of salvation. In his Exposition of Psalm 147 for example, he states:[48]

text: The gospel warned us, "Be on the watch for the last day, the day when the Son of Man will come," because it will spell disaster for those it finds secure as they are now – secure for the wrong reasons, I mean, secure in the pleasures of this world, when they ought to be secure only when they have dominated this world's lusts. The apostle certainly prepares us for that future life in words of which I also reminded you on that occasion.

text: Again, in his Exposition of Psalm 85, Augustine is perhaps even more specific:[49]

text: Let us not expect security while we are on pilgrimage. When we do find ourselves wanting it, what we are looking for is bodily sluggishness rather than personal security.

text: Catholics would also look to the passage in Romans 8:13 for evidence that justification by faith is only valid so long as it is combined with obedient cooperation with The Holy Spirit, and the passage in Romans 11:22 to show that the Christian can lose their justification if they turn away from cooperating with The Holy Spirit and reject Christ through mortal sin.

text: Protestant interpretation[edit]

text: In the Protestant interpretation, the New Testament epistles (including Romans), describes salvation as coming from faith and not from righteous actions.[citation needed] For example, Romans 4:2–5 (underlining added):

text: They also point out[citation needed] that in Romans chapter 2:9, Paul says that God will reward those who follow the law and then goes on to say that no one follows the law perfectly (see also Sermon on the Mount: Interpretation) Romans 2:21–25:

text: Martin Luther described Paul's letter to the Romans as "the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian's while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul".[50]

text: Luther controversially added the word "alone" (allein in German) to Romans 3:28 so that it read: "thus, we hold, then, that man is justified without doing the works of the law, alone through faith".[51] The word "alone" does not appear in the original Greek text,[52] but Luther defended his translation by maintaining that the adverb "alone" was required both by idiomatic German and Paul's intended meaning. This is a "literalist view" rather than an literal view of the Bible.[53]

text: Apologist James Swan lists numerous Catholic sources that also translated Romans 3:28 with the word "alone," or testified to others doing so before Luther.[54] A Bible commentary published in 1864 reports that:

text: Catholic translators before the time of Luther had given the same translation. So in the Nuremberg Bible, 1483, "Nur durch den glauben." And the Italian Bibles of Geneva, 1476, and of Venice, 1538, per sola fede. The Fathers also often use the expression, "man is justified by faith alone;" [55]

text: The Romans Road (or Roman Road) refers to a set of scriptures from Romans that Christian evangelists use to present a clear and simple case for personal salvation to each person, as all the verses are contained in one single book, making it easier for evangelism without going back and forth through the entire New Testament. The core verses used by nearly all groups using Romans Road are: Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9, and 10:13.[56]

text: Romans has been at the forefront of several major movements in Protestantism. Martin Luther's lectures on Romans in 1515–1516 probably coincided[citation needed] with the development of his criticism of Roman Catholicism which led to the 95 Theses of 1517. In 1738, while hearing Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans read at St. Botolph Church on Aldersgate Street in London, John Wesley famously felt his heart "strangely warmed", a conversion experience which is often seen[citation needed] as the beginning of Methodism. In 1919 Karl Barth's commentary on Romans, The Epistle to the Romans, was the publication which is widely seen as the beginning of neo-orthodoxy.[citation needed]


document_title: List of highest-scoring NBA games

question_text: what is the highest amount of points scored in a nba game

root

text: List of highest-scoring NBA games

text: Summary[edit]

text: The highest-scoring regular season game is the triple-overtime game between the Detroit Pistons and the Denver Nuggets on December 13, 1983. The two teams combined to score 370 points, with the Pistons defeating the Nuggets 186–184. An NBA-record four players scored over 40 points in the game, including the Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe with a game-high 51. The two teams also set several other NBA records, including the most points scored by one team (186 points), the most points scored by a losing team (184), the most field goals by two teams (142), most field goals by one team (74) and most assists by two teams (93).[5][6]

tag: p

text: The highest-scoring regular season game in regulation was between the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets on November 2, 1990. In that game, Golden State defeated Denver 162–158. The Warriors' Chris Mullin scored a game-high 38 points. The Nuggets were coached by Doug Moe from 1980 to 1990 and Paul Westhead from 1990 to 1992,[7][8] both of whom employed a run and gun offensive strategy, which focuses on attempting a high number of field goals while also conceding a large number of points on defense.[9][10] In fact, Moe's and Westhead's Nuggets were participants in five of the ten highest-scoring regular season games in NBA history. The Warriors were coached by Don Nelson from 1988 to 1995 and 2006 to 2010.[11] He employed Nellie Ball, a style of run and gun that uses smaller, more athletic players to outrun opponents.[12] Another notable high scoring regular season game is a March 2, 1962 game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks. In that game, the Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA-record 100 points.[13]

text: The highest-scoring playoff game is the double-overtime game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Phoenix Suns on May 11, 1992. The two teams combined to score 304 points, with the Trail Blazers defeating the Suns 153–151. The Suns' Kevin Johnson scored a game-high 35 points, with 12 other players also scoring in double figures.  The highest-scoring playoff game in regulation occurred when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Denver Nuggets with a score of 152–133 for a combined score of 285 points on April 26, 1983. In that game, the Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 42 points.

text: Most of the highest-scoring games happened before the 1995–96 season, when the average scoring (points per game) per team was always in the 100s.[2] Until the emergence of 'small ball' in 2013, the average had dropped down to the 90s.[14] Only two post-1995 games make the top-ten lists of both the regular season and playoffs: a May 10, 2003 game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings and a December 7, 2006 game between the Phoenix Suns and New Jersey Nets. Both the Mavericks and the Suns were coached by Nelson and Mike D'Antoni respectively, both of whom also made use of the run and gun style.[15]

text: List[edit]

text:
Key

OT

Overtime (the number indicates the number of overtime periods played.

*

Indicates a game that was won by the road team

tag: table

text: Highest-scoring regular season games[edit]

text:
Rank

Total Points

Date

Location

Winning Team

Final Score

OT

Losing Team

Notes

Ref

1

370

December 13, 1983

McNichols ArenaDenver, Colorado

Detroit Pistons*

186–184

3

Denver Nuggets

NBA records
Highest-scoring record[a]
The teams combined for 142 field goals[5]
The teams combined for 93 total assists[5]
4 players scored at least 40 points[5]
Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe scored a game-high 51 points, a career high.[5][16]
Leading scorers
Pistons: Isiah Thomas (47), John Long (41), Kelly Tripucka (35)[b]
Nuggets: Vandeweghe (51), Alex English (47), Dan Issel (28)[c]

[17]

2

337

March 6, 1982

HemisFair ArenaSan Antonio, Texas

San Antonio Spurs

171–166

3

Milwaukee Bucks

Former highest-scoring record[d]
3 players scored 40+ points
Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 50 points.
Leading scorers
Spurs: Gervin (50), Mike Mitchell (45)[e]
Bucks: Brian Winters (42), Junior Bridgeman (31), Bob Lanier (29)[f]

[18]

3

320

November 2, 1990

McNichols ArenaDenver, Colorado

Golden State Warriors*

162–158

—

Denver Nuggets

Highest-scoring game in regulation
Warriors' Chris Mullin scored a game-high 38 points.
Leading scorers
Warriors: Mullin (38), Tim Hardaway (32), Mitch Richmond (29)[g]
Nuggets: Orlando Woolridge (37), Walter Davis (33)[h]

[19]

4

318

January 11, 1984

McNichols ArenaDenver, Colorado

Denver Nuggets

163–155

—

San Antonio Spurs

NBA record
Both teams combined to score 99 points in a quarter[i]
Nuggets' Kiki Vandeweghe scored a game-high 50 points.
Leading scorers
Nuggets: Vandeweghe (50), Alex English (25)[j]
Spurs: George Gervin (38), John Lucas II (23)[k]

[21]

4

318

December 7, 2006

Continental Airlines ArenaEast Rutherford, New Jersey

Phoenix Suns*

161–157

2

New Jersey Nets

Suns' Steve Nash scored a game-high 42 points.
Nets' Jason Kidd recorded a triple-double[l]
Leading scorers
Suns: Nash (42), Shawn Marion (33), Raja Bell (24), Amare Stoudemire (23)[m]
Nets: Kidd (38), Vince Carter (31), Richard Jefferson (25)[n]

[22]

6

316

March 2, 1962

Hershey Sports ArenaHershey, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Warriors

169–147

—

New York Knicks

Former highest-scoring record[o]
NBA record
Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored a game-high 100 points.[p]
Leading scorers
Warriors: Chamberlain (100)[q]
Knicks: Richie Guerin (39), Willie Naulls (33), Cleveland Buckner (31)[r]

[23]

6

316

March 12, 1970

Cincinnati GardensCincinnati

Cincinnati Royals

165–151

—

San Diego Rockets

Former highest-scoring record[s]
Rockets' Elvin Hayes scored a game-high 40 points
Leading scorers
Royals: Tom Van Arsdale (36), Connie Dierking (34), Johnny Green (29), Oscar Robertson (28), Norm Van Lier (22)[t]
Rockets: Hayes (40), Don Kojis (23), John Block (20)[u]

[24]

6

316

November 10, 1990

Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix, Arizona

Phoenix Suns

173–143

—

Denver Nuggets

NBA record
Both teams combined to score 174 points in a half[v]
The Suns scored 107 points during the first half of the game.
Nuggets' Orlando Woolridge scored a game-high 40 points.
Leading scorers
Suns: Cedric Ceballos (32), Kevin Johnson (23), Kenny Battle (23), Dan Majerle (21), Tom Chambers (20)[w]
Nuggets: Woolridge (40), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (26), Walter Davis (22)[x]

[25]

9

314

November 7, 1990

HemisFair ArenaSan Antonio, Texas

San Antonio Spurs

161–153

—

Denver Nuggets

Spurs' David Robinson scored a game-high 43 points.
Leading scorers
Spurs: Robinson (43), Terry Cummings (31), Sean Elliott (29), Reggie Williams (22)[y]
Nuggets: Orlando Woolridge (37), Walter Davis (32), Todd Lichti (29)[z]

[26]

10

312

February 27, 1959

Boston GardenBoston

Boston Celtics

173–139

—

Minneapolis Lakers

Former highest-scoring record[aa]
Celtics' Tom Heinsohn scored a game-high 43 points.
Leading scorers
Celtics: Heinsohn (43), Bob Cousy (31), Bill Sharman (29), Frank Ramsey (20)[ab]
Lakers: Elgin Baylor (28), Vern Mikkelsen (25), Rod Hundley (21)[ac]

[27]

text: Highest-scoring playoff games[edit]

text: Below are the top 10 highest-scoring playoff games. Four of the games happened before the 1979–80 season, the season in which the three-point line was first implemented.

text:
Highest-scoring playoff games

Totalpoints

Date

Location

Winner

Result

OT

Loser

Notes

Ref.

1

304

May 11, 1992

Arizona Veterans Memorial ColiseumPhoenix, Arizona

Portland Trail Blazers*

153–151

2

Phoenix Suns

NBA highest-scoring record[ad]
Suns' Kevin Johnson scored a game-high 35 points
Leading scorers
Trail Blazers: Clyde Drexler (33), Terry Porter (31), Danny Ainge (25), Jerome Kersey (21)[ae]
Suns: Johnson (35), Tom Chambers  (29), Jeff Hornacek (23), Dan Majerle (21)[af]
The Trail Blazers won the conference semifinals series 4–1
Last NBA game at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum

[28]

2

285

April 26, 1983

HemisFair ArenaSan Antonio, Texas

San Antonio Spurs

152–133

—

Denver Nuggets

Former highest-scoring record[ag]
Spurs' George Gervin scored a game-high 42 points
Leading scorers
Spurs: Gervin (42), Johnny Moore (24), Gene Banks (22), Mike Mitchell (22)[ah]
Nuggets: Dan Issel (28), Alex English (26), Kiki Vandeweghe (22)[ai]
The Spurs won the conference semifinals series 4–1

[29]

2

285

April 28, 1990

Boston GardenBoston

Boston Celtics

157–128

—

New York Knicks

Celtics' Kevin McHale scored a game-high 31 points
Leading scorers
Celtics: McHale (31), Reggie Lewis (21)[aj]
Knicks: Patrick Ewing (28), Gerald Wilkins (24), Johnny Newman (21)[ak]
The Knicks won the first round series 3–2

[30]

4

280

April 23, 1987

Reunion ArenaDallas

Dallas Mavericks

151–129

—

Seattle SuperSonics

SuperSonics' Tom Chambers scored a game-high 35 points
Leading scorers
Mavericks: Mark Aguirre (28), Roy Tarpley (25)[al]
SuperSonics: Chambers (35), Dale Ellis (22)[am]
The SuperSonics won the first round series 3–1

[31]

5

279

April 1, 1967

Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum ArenaOakland, California

San Francisco Warriors

143–136

—

St. Louis Hawks

Former highest-scoring record[an]
Warriors' Rick Barry scored a game-high 47 points
Leading scorers
Warriors: Barry (47), Jeff Mullins (26), Nate Thurmond (22)[ao]
Hawks: Bill Bridges (26), Lou Hudson (24), Richie Guerin (22), Lenny Wilkens (22)[ap]
The Warriors won the division finals series 4–2

[32]

6

278

March 25, 1957

Minneapolis AuditoriumMinneapolis

St. Louis Hawks*

143–135

2

Minneapolis Lakers

Former highest-scoring record[aq]
Lakers' Bobby Leonard scored a game-high 42 points
Leading scorers
Hawks: Bob Pettit (35), Slater Martin (26), Cliff Hagan (22)[ar]
Lakers: Leonard (42), Clyde Lovellette (22), Walter Dukes (21)[as]
The Hawks won the division finals series 3–0

[33]

6

278

May 10, 2003

ARCO ArenaSacramento, California

Dallas Mavericks*

141–137

2

Sacramento Kings

Mavericks' Nick Van Exel scored a game-high 40 points
Leading scorers
Mavericks: Van Exel (40), Steve Nash (31), Dirk Nowitzki (25), Michael Finley (20)[at]
Kings: Peja Stojaković (39), Vlade Divac (20)[au]
The Mavericks won the conference semifinals series 4–3

[34]

8

277

April 20, 1985

Great Western ForumLos Angeles

Los Angeles Lakers

147–130

—

Phoenix Suns

Lakers' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a game-high 24 points
Leading scorers
Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar (24), Bob McAdoo (22), Byron Scott (21), Mike McGee (20)[av]
Suns: Alvan Adams (23), Jay Humphries (21), Mike Sanders (20)[aw]
The Lakers won the conference semifinals series 3–0

[35]

9

276

April 14, 1967

The SpectrumPhiladelphia

Philadelphia 76ers

141–135

1

San Francisco Warriors

Warriors' Rick Barry scored a game-high 37 points
Leading scorers
76ers:  Hal Greer (32), Wali Jones (30), Billy Cunningham (26), Chet Walker (23)[ax]
Warriors: Barry (37), Nate Thurmond (24), Tom Meschery (20)[ay]
The 76ers won the finals series 4–2

[36]

9

276

March 30, 1970

The SpectrumPhiladelphia

Milwaukee Bucks*

156–120

—

Philadelphia 76ers

Bucks' Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored a game-high 33 points
Leading scorers
Bucks: Abdul-Jabbar (33), Jon McGlocklin (24), Flynn Robinson (20)[az]
76ers: Archie Clark (20)[ba]
The Bucks won the conference semifinals series 4–1

[37]

9

276

April 27, 2013

United CenterChicago

Chicago Bulls

142–134

3

Brooklyn Nets

Bulls' Nate Robinson scored a game-high 34 points
Leading scorers
Bulls:  Robinson (34), Carlos Boozer (21)[bb]
Nets: Deron Williams (32), Brook Lopez (26), Joe Johnson (22)[bc]
The Bulls won the first round series 4–3

[38]


document_title: Delphi

question_text: who lived in apollo's temple at delphi

question_tokens: who lived in apollo 's temple at delphi

text: Delphi

text: Origins and location[edit]

text: Delphi is located in upper central Greece, on multiple plateaux along the slope of Mount Parnassus, and includes the Sanctuary of Apollo, the site of the ancient Oracle. This semicircular spur is known as Phaedriades, and overlooks the Pleistos Valley.

text: In myths dating to the classical period of Ancient Greece (510-323 BC), Zeus determined the site of Delphi when he sought to find the centre of his "Grandmother Earth" (Gaia). He sent two eagles flying from the eastern and western extremities, and the path of the eagles crossed over Delphi where the omphalos, or navel of Gaia was found.[2]

text: Earlier myths [3] include traditions that Pythia, or the Delphic oracle, already was the site of an important oracle in the pre-classical Greek world (as early as 1400 BC) and, rededicated from about 800 BC, when it served as the major site during classical times for the worship of the god Apollo. Apollo was said to have slain Python, a "drako" a serpent or a dragon who lived there and protected the navel of the Earth.[4] "Python" (derived from the verb πύθω (pythō),[5] "to rot") is claimed by some to be the original name of the site in recognition of Python which Apollo defeated.[6] The Homeric Hymn to Delphic Apollo recalled that the ancient name of this site had been Krisa.[7] Others relate that it was named Pytho and that Pythia, the priestess serving as the oracle, was chosen from their ranks by a group of priestesses who officiated at the temple.

text: Excavation at Delphi, which was a post-Mycenaean settlement of the late 9th century, has uncovered artifacts increasing steadily in volume beginning with the last quarter of the 8th century BC. Pottery and bronze as well as tripod dedications continue in a steady stream, in contrast to Olympia. Neither the range of objects nor the presence of prestigious dedications proves that Delphi was a focus of attention for a wide range of worshippers, but the large quantity of valuable goods, found in no other mainland sanctuary, encourages that view.

text: Apollo's sacred precinct in Delphi was a panhellenic sanctuary, where every four years, starting in 586 BC[8] athletes from all over the Greek world competed in the Pythian Games, one of the four Panhellenic Games, precursors of the Modern Olympics. The victors at Delphi were presented with a laurel crown (stephanos) which was ceremonially cut from a tree by a boy who re-enacted the slaying of the Python.[8] (These competitions are also called stephantic games, after the crown.) Delphi was set apart from the other games sites because it hosted the mousikos agon, musical competitions.[6]

text: These Pythian Games rank second among the four stephanitic games chronologically and in importance.[8] These games, though, were different from the games at Olympia in that they were not of such vast importance to the city of Delphi as the games at Olympia were to the area surrounding Olympia. Delphi would have been a renowned city whether or not it hosted these games; it had other attractions that led to it being labeled the "omphalos" (navel) of the earth, in other words, the centre of the world.[9]

text: In the inner hestia (hearth) of the Temple of Apollo, an eternal flame burned. After the battle of Plataea, the Greek cities extinguished their fires and brought new fire from the hearth of Greece, at Delphi; in the foundation stories of several Greek colonies, the founding colonists were first dedicated at Delphi.[10]

text: Religious significance[edit]

text: The name Delphoi comes from the same root as δελφύς delphys, "womb" and may indicate archaic veneration of Gaia at the site.[11][12] Apollo is connected with the site by his epithet Δελφίνιος Delphinios, "the Delphinian". The epithet is connected with dolphins (Greek δελφίς,-ῖνος) in the Homeric Hymn to Apollo (line 400), recounting the legend of how Apollo first came to Delphi in the shape of a dolphin, carrying Cretan priests on his back. The Homeric name of the oracle is Pytho (Πυθώ).[13] Another legend held that Apollo walked to Delphi from the north and stopped at Tempe, a city in Thessaly, to pick laurel (also known as bay tree) which he considered to be a sacred plant. In commemoration of this legend, the winners at the Pythian Games received a wreath of laurel picked in the Temple.

text: Delphi became the site of a major temple to Phoebus Apollo, as well as the Pythian Games and the famous prehistoric oracle. Even in Roman times, hundreds of votive statues remained, described by Pliny the Younger and seen by Pausanias. Carved into the temple were three phrases: γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnōthi seautón = "know thyself") and μηδέν άγαν (mēdén ágan = "nothing in excess"), and Ἑγγύα πάρα δ'ἄτη (engýa pára d'atē = "make a pledge and mischief is nigh"),[14] In antiquity, the origin of these phrases was attributed to one or more of the Seven Sages of Greece by authors such as Plato[15] and Pausanias.[16] Additionally, according to Plutarch's essay on the meaning of the "E at Delphi"—the only literary source for the inscription—there was also inscribed at the temple a large letter E.[17] Among other things epsilon signifies the number 5. However, ancient as well as modern scholars have doubted the legitimacy of such inscriptions.[18] According to one pair of scholars, "The actual authorship of the three maxims set up on the Delphian temple may be left uncertain. Most likely they were popular proverbs, which tended later to be attributed to particular sages."[19]

text: According to the Homeric-hymn to the Pythian Apollo, Apollo shot his first arrow as an infant which effectively slew the serpent Pytho, the son of Gaia, who guarded the spot. To atone the murder of Gaia's son, Apollo was forced to fly and spend eight years in menial service before he could return forgiven. A festival, the Septeria, was held every year, at which the whole story was represented: the slaying of the serpent, and the flight, atonement, and return of the god.[20]

text: The Pythian Games took place every four years to commemorate Apollo's victory.[20] Another regular Delphi festival was the "Theophania" (Θεοφάνεια), an annual festival in spring celebrating the return of Apollo from his winter quarters in Hyperborea. The culmination of the festival was a display of an image of the gods, usually hidden in the sanctuary, to worshippers.[21]

text: The "Theoxenia" was held each summer, centred on a feast for "gods and ambassadors from other states". Myths indicate that Apollo killed the chthonic serpent Python, Pythia in older myths, but according to some later accounts his wife, Pythia, who lived beside the Castalian Spring. Some sources say it is because Python had attempted to rape Leto while she was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis.

text: This spring flowed toward the temple but disappeared beneath, creating a cleft which emitted chemical vapors that caused the Oracle at Delphi to reveal her prophecies. Apollo killed Python but had to be punished for it, since she was a child of Gaia. The shrine dedicated to Apollo was originally dedicated to Gaia and shared with Poseidon.[20] The name Pythia remained as the title of the Delphic Oracle.

text: Erwin Rohde wrote that the Python was an earth spirit, who was conquered by Apollo, and buried under the Omphalos, and that it is a case of one deity setting up a temple on the grave of another.[22] Another view holds that Apollo was a fairly recent addition to the Greek pantheon coming originally from Lydia.[citation needed] The Etruscans coming from northern Anatolia also worshipped Apollo,[citation needed] and it may be that he was originally identical with Mesopotamian Aplu, an Akkadian title meaning "son", originally given to the plague God Nergal, son of Enlil.[citation needed] Apollo Smintheus (Greek Απόλλων Σμινθεύς), the mouse killer[23] eliminates mice, a primary cause of disease, hence he promotes preventive medicine.

text: Oracle of Delphi[edit]

text: Delphi is perhaps best known for its oracle, the Pythia, the sibyl or priestess at the sanctuary dedicated to Apollo. According to Aeschylus in the prologue of the Eumenides, the oracle had origins in prehistoric times and the worship of Gaea, a view echoed by H.W. Parke.[24]

text: 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 the chasm causing the fumes to go to his brain; throwing him into a strange trance.[25]

text: Apollo spoke through his oracle. She had to be an older woman of blameless life chosen from among the peasants of the area. Alone in an enclosed inner sanctum (Ancient Greek adyton - "do not enter") she sat on a tripod seat over an opening in the earth (the "chasm"). According to legend, when Apollo slew Python its body fell into this fissure and fumes arose from its decomposing body. Intoxicated by the vapours, the sibyl would fall into a trance, allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. In this state she prophesied. The oracle could not be consulted during the winter months, for this was traditionally the time when Apollo would live among the Hyperboreans. Dionysus would inhabit the temple during his absence.[26]

text: The time to consult pythia for an oracle during the year is determined from astronomical and geological grounds related to the constellations of Lyra and Cygnus but the hydrocarbon vapours emitted from the chasm.[27] Similar practice was followed in other Apollo oracles too.[28]

text: While in a trance the Pythia "raved" – probably a form of ecstatic speech – and her ravings were "translated" by the priests of the temple into elegant hexameters. It has been speculated that the ancient writers, including Plutarch who had worked as a priest at Delphi, were correct in attributing the oracular effects to the sweet-smelling pneuma (Ancient Greek for breath, wind or vapour) escaping from the chasm in the rock. That exhalation could have been high in the known anaesthetic and sweet-smelling ethylene or other hydrocarbons such as ethane known to produce violent trances. Though this theory remains debatable the authors put up a detailed answer to their critics.[29][30][31]

text: Ancient sources describe the priestess using “laurel” to inspire her prophecies. Several alternative plant candidates have been suggested including Cannabis, Hyoscyamus, Rhododendron and Oleander. Harissis claims that a review of contemporary toxicological literature indicates that oleander causes symptoms similar to those shown by the Pythia, and his study of ancient texts shows that oleander was often included under the term “laurel”. The Pythia may have chewed oleander leaves and inhaled their smoke prior to her oracular pronouncements and sometimes dying from the toxicity. The toxic substances of oleander resulted in symptoms similar to those of epilepsy, the “sacred disease,” which may have been seen as the possession of the Pythia by the spirit of Apollo.[32]

text: The Delphic Oracle exerted considerable influence throughout the Greek world, and she was consulted before all major undertakings including wars and the founding of colonies.[33] She also was respected by the Greek-influenced countries around the periphery of the Greek world, such as Lydia, Caria, and even Egypt.

text: The oracle was also known to the early Romans. Rome's seventh and last king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, after witnessing a snake near his palace, sent a delegation including two of his sons to consult the oracle.[34]

text: In 83 BC a Thracian tribe raided Delphi, burned the temple, plundered the sanctuary and stole the "unquenchable fire" from the altar. During the raid, part of the temple roof collapsed.[35] The same year, the Temple was severely damaged by an earthquake. Thus the Oracle fell in decay and the surrounding area became impoverished. The sparse local population led to difficulties in filling the posts required. The Oracle's credibility waned due to doubtful predictions.

text: The oracle flourished again in the second century AD during the rule of emperor Hadrian, who is believed to have visited the oracle twice and offered complete autonomy to the city.[35] By the 4th century, Delphi had acquired the status of a city.[36] Constantine the Great looted several monuments, most notably the Tripod of Plataea, which he used to decorate his new capital, Constantinople.[citation needed]

text: Despite the rise of Christianity across the Roman Empire, the oracle remained a religious centre throughout the 4th century, and the Pythian Games continued to be held at least until 424 AD;[36] however, the decline continued. The attempt of the emperor Julian to revive polytheism did not survive his reign.[35] Excavations have revealed a large three-aisled basilica in the city, as well as traces of a church building in the sanctuary's gymnasium.[36] The site was abandoned in the 6th or 7th centuries, although a single bishop of Delphi is attested in an episcopal list of the late 8th/early 9th centuries.[36]

text: History[edit]

text: This section focuses too much on specific examples without explaining their importance to its main subject. Please help improve this article by citing reliable, secondary sources that evaluate and synthesize these or similar examples within a broader context. (April 2016)

text: Ancient Delphi[edit]

text: Delphi was since ancient times a place of worship for Gaia, the mother goddess connected with fertility. The town started to gain pan-Hellenic relevance as both a shrine and an oracle in the 7th century BC. Initially under the control of Phocaean settlers based in nearby Kirra (currently Itea), Delphi was reclaimed by the Athenians during the First Sacred War (597–585 BC). The conflict resulted in the consolidation of the Amphictyonic League, which had both a military and a religious function revolving around the protection of the Temple of Apollo. This shrine was destroyed by fire in 548 BC and then fell under the control of the Alcmaeonids banned from Athens. In 449–448 BC, the Second Sacred War (fought in the wider context of the First Peloponnesian War between the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta and the Delian-Attic League led by Athens) resulted in the Phocians gaining control of Delphi and the management of the Pythian Games.

text: In 356 BC the Phocians under Philomelos captured and sacked Delphi, leading to the Third Sacred War (356–346 BC), which ended with the defeat of the former and the rise of Macedon under the reign of Philip II. This led to the Fourth Sacred War (339 BC), which culminated in the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) and the establishment of Macedonian rule over Greece. In Delphi, Macedonian rule was superseded by the Aetolians in 279 BC, when a Gallic invasion was repelled, and by the Romans in 191 BC. The site was sacked by Lucius Cornelius Sulla in 86 BC, during the Mithridatic Wars, and by Nero in 66 AD. Although subsequent Roman emperors of the Flavian dynasty contributed towards to the restoration of the site, it gradually lost importance until it was shut by Theodosius I in 381 AD.[37]

text: Ottoman Delphi[edit]

text: Time and natural disasters added to the picture of desolation[clarification needed] of the once glorious place, and during the Ottoman period the village of Kastri was founded on the site.

text: Buildings and structures[edit]

text: Occupation of the site at Delphi can be traced back to the Neolithic period with extensive occupation and use beginning in the Mycenaean period (1600–1100 BC). Most of the ruins that survive today date from the most intense period of activity at the site in the 6th century BC.[38]

text: Temple of Apollo[edit]

text: The ruins of the Temple of Delphi visible today date from the 4th century BC, and are of a peripteral Doric building. It was erected by Spintharus, Xenodoros, and Agathon on the remains of an earlier temple, dated to the 6th century BC which itself was erected on the site of a 7th-century BC construction attributed to the architects Trophonios and Agamedes.[39]

text: The 6th-century BC temple was named the "Temple of Alcmonidae" in tribute to the Athenian family who funded its reconstruction following a fire, which had destroyed the original structure. The new building was a Doric hexastyle temple of 6 by 15 columns. This temple was destroyed in 375 BC by an earthquake. The pediment sculptures are a tribute to Praxias and Androsthenes of Athens. Of a similar proportion to the second temple it retained the 6 by 15 column pattern around the stylobate.[39] Inside was the adyton, the centre of the Delphic oracle and seat of Pythia. The temple had the statement "Know thyself", one of the Delphic maxims, carved into it (and some modern Greek writers say the rest were carved into it), and the maxims were attributed to Apollo and given through the oracle and/or the Seven Sages of Greece ("know thyself" perhaps also being attributed to other famous philosophers).

text: The temple survived until AD 390, when the Roman emperor Theodosius I silenced the oracle by destroying the temple and most of the statues and works of art in the name of Christianity.[40] The site was completely destroyed by zealous Christians in an attempt to remove all traces of Paganism.[40] The ruins of this temple decay at a faster rate than some of the other ruins on the Southern slopes of the Parnassos mountain. This is mostly due to the use of limestone, a softer material, along with porous stone.[41]

text: The first temple of Apollo was, according to the myth, made of daphne (laurel the sacred symbol of Apollo), the second temple of Apollo was made of bees wax and feathers (the remains of two structures dating from the 8th century BC could be associated with the first two temples), the third temple of Apollo was made out of bronze, the fourth temple of Apollo was constructed around the end of the 7th century BC and, according to Pausanias, ruined by fire in 548 BC, the fifth temple of Apollo (Alcmaeonid Temple) was constructed between 525-505 BC and ruined by fire or earthquake in 373 BC, the sixth temple of Apollo was finished in 320 BC and is the one visible today.[42]

text: Amphictyonic Council[edit]

text: The Amphictyonic Council was a council of representatives from six Greek tribes that controlled Delphi and also the quadrennial Pythian Games. They met biannually and came from Thessaly and central Greece. Over time, the town of Delphi gained more control of itself and the council lost much of its influence.

text: Treasuries[edit]

text: From the entrance of the site, continuing up the slope almost to the temple itself, 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 rich offerings made to Apollo; these were frequently 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.

text: 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.

text: One of the largest of the treasuries was that of Argos. Built in the late Doric period, the Argives took great pride in establishing their place amongst the other city states. Completed in 380BC, the treasury draws inspiration mostly from the Temple of Hera located in the Argolis, the acropolis of the city. However, recent analysis of the Archaic elements of the treasury suggest that its founding preceded this.

text: Other identifiable treasuries are those of the Sikyonians, the Boeotians and the Thebans.

text: Altar of the Chians[edit]

text: 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 5th 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.[43]

text: Stoa of the Athenians[edit]

text: The stoa leads off north-east from the main sanctuary. It was built in the Ionic order and consists of seven fluted columns, unusually carved from single pieces of stone (most columns were constructed from a series of discs joined together). 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. The stoa was attached to the existing Polygonal Wall.[44]

text: Sibyl rock[edit]

text: The Sibyl rock is a pulpit-like outcrop of rock between the Athenian Treasury and the Stoa of the Athenians upon the sacred way which leads up to the temple of Apollo in the archaeological area of Delphi. It is claimed to be where an ancient Sibyl pre-dating the Pythia of Apollo sat to deliver her prophecies.

text: Theatre[edit]

text: The ancient theatre at Delphi was built further up the hill from the Temple of Apollo giving spectators a view of the entire sanctuary and the valley below.[45] It was originally built in the 4th 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.[46] The koilon (cavea) leans against the natural slope of the mountain whereas its eastern part overrides a little torrent which led the water of the fountain Cassotis right underneath the temple of Apollo. The orchestra was initially a full circle with a diameter measuring 7 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 the slaves to the god. 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 8. Six radially arranged stairs divided the lower part of the koilon in seven tiers. The theatre could accommodate about 4,500 spectators.[47]

text: On the occasion of Nero's visit to Greece in 67 A.D. various alterations took place. The orchestra was paved and delimited by a parapet made of stone. The proscenium was replaced by a low pedestal, the pulpitum; its façade was decorated with scenes from Hercules' myth in relief. Further repairs and transformations took place in the 2nd 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 which formed part of the programme of the Pythian Games in the late Hellenistic and Roman period.[48] 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 a grave threat for its stability for decades.[49][50]

text: Tholos[edit]

text: The Tholos at the sanctuary of Athena Pronoia (Ἀθηνᾶ Πρόνοια, "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.

text: The Tholos is located approximately a half a mile (800 m) from 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.

text: 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).[51]

text: Gymnasium[edit]

text: The gymnasium, which 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 to Apollo himself.[43]

text: Stadium[edit]

text: The stadium is located further up the hill, beyond the via sacra and the theatre. It was originally built in the 5th century BC but was altered in later centuries. The last major remodelling took place in the 2nd century AD under the patronage of Herodes Atticus when the stone seating was built and (arched) entrance. It could seat 6500 spectators and the track was 177 metres long and 25.5 metres wide.[52]

text: Hippodrome[edit]

text: 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 was referred to by Pindar,[53] and this monument was sought by archaeologists for over two centuries.

text: Its traces have recently been found at Gonia in the plain of Krisa in the place where the original stadium was sited.[54]

text: Polygonal wall[edit]

text: The 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 is constructed. At a later date, from 200 BC onwards, the stones were inscribed with the manumission contracts of slaves who were consecrated to Apollo. Approximately a thousand manumissions are recorded on the wall.[55]

text: Castalian spring[edit]

text: 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 the Archaic period and the Roman, with the latter cut into the rock.

text: Athletic statues[edit]

text: 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.[56] Kleobis and Biton, two brothers renowned for their strength, are modeled in two of 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.[56]

text: The Charioteer of Delphi 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.[56]

text: Architectural traditions[edit]

text: Ancient tradition accounted for four temples that successively occupied the site before the 548/7 BC fire, following which the Alcmaeonids built a fifth. The poet Pindar celebrated the Alcmaeonid's temple in Pythian 7.8-9 and he also provided details of the third building (Paean 8. 65-75). Other details are given by Pausanias (10.5.9-13) and the Homeric Hymn to Apollo (294 ff.). The first temple was said to have been constructed out of olive branches from Tempe. The second was made by bees out of wax and wings but was miraculously carried off by a powerful wind and deposited among the Hyperboreans. The third, as described by Pindar, was created by the gods Hephaestus and Athena, but its architectural details included Siren-like figures or 'Enchantresses', whose baneful songs eventually provoked the Olympian gods to bury the temple in the earth (according to Pausanias, it was destroyed by earthquake and fire). In Pindar's words, addressed to the Muses:

text: The fourth temple was said to have been constructed from stone by Trophonius and Agamedes.[58]

text: The Delphi Archaeological Museum[edit]

text: The Delphi Archaeological Museum is at the foot of the main archaeological complex, on the east side of the village, and on the north side of the main road. The museum houses an impressive collection associated with ancient Delphi, including the earliest known notation of a melody, the famous Charioteer, golden treasures discovered beneath the Sacred Way, and fragments of reliefs from the Siphnian Treasury. Immediately adjacent to the exit (and overlooked by most tour guides) is the inscription that mentions the Roman proconsul Gallio.

text: Entries to the museum and to the main complex are separate and chargeable, and a reduced rate ticket gets entry to both. There is a small cafe, and a post office by the museum.

text: Excavations[edit]

text: The site had been occupied by the village of Kastri since medieval times. 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 the major buildings and structures of the sanctuary of Apollo and of Athena Pronoia along with thousands of objects, inscriptions and sculptures.[43]

text: The site is now an archaeological one, and a very popular tourist destination. It is easily accessible from Athens as a day trip, and is often combined with the winter sports facilities available on Mount Parnassus, as well as the beaches and summer sports facilities of the nearby coast of Phocis.

text: The site is also protected as a site of extraordinary natural beauty, and the views from it are also protected: no industrial artefacts are to be seen from Delphi other than roads and traditional architecture residences (for example high voltage power lines and the like are routed so as to be invisible from the area of the sanctuary).

text: Depiction of Delphi in art[edit]

text: From the 16th century onwards, West Europe developed an interest in Delphi. In the mid-15th century Strabo was first translated in Latin. The earliest depictions of Delphi were totally imaginary, created by the German N. Gerbel, who published in 1545 a text based on the map of Greece by N. Sofianos. The ancient sanctuary was depicted as a fortified city. The first travelers with archaeological interests, apart from the precursor Cyriacus of Ancona, were the British George Wheler and the French Jacob Spon, who visited Greece in a joint expedition in 1675-76. They published their impressions separately. In Wheler's "Journey into Greece", published in 1682, a sketch of the region of Dephi appeared, where the settlement of Kastri and some ruins were depicted. The illustrations in Spon's publication "Voyage d'Italie, de Dalmatie, de Grèce et du Levant, 1678" are considered original and groundbreaking.

text: Travelers continued to visit Delphi throughout the 19th century and published their books which contained diaries, sketches, views of the site as well as pictures of coins. The illustrations often reflected the spirit of romanticism, as evident by the works of Otto Magnus von Stackelberg, where, apart from the landscapes (La Grèce. Vues pittoresques et topographiques, Paris 1834) are depicted also human types (Costumes et usages des peuples de la Grèce moderne dessinés sur les lieux, Paris 1828). The philhellene painter W. Williams has comprised the landscape of Delphi in his themes (1829). important personalities such as F.Ch.-H.-L. Pouqueville, W.M. Leake, Chr. Wordsworth and Lord Byron are amongst the most important visitors of Delphi.

text: After the foundation of the modern Greek state, the press becomes also interested in these travelers. Thus "Ephemeris" writes (17/03/1889): “In the "Revues des Deux Mondes" Paul Lefaivre published his memoirs from an excursion to Delphi. The French author relates in a charming style his adventures on the road, praising particularly the ability of an old woman to put back in its place the dismantled arm of one of his foreign traveling companions, who had fallen off the horse. In Arachova the Greek type is preserved intact. The men are rather athletes than farmers, built for running and wrestling, particularly elegant and slender under their mountain gear. Only briefly does he refer to the antiquities of Delphi, but he refers to a pelasgian wall 80 meters long, on which innumerable inscriptions are carved, decrees, conventions, manumissions".

text: Gradually the first travelling guides appeared. The revolutionary "pocket" books invented by Karl Baedeker, accompanied by maps useful for visiting archaeological sites such as Delphi (1894) and the informed plans, the guides became practical and popular. The photographic lens revolutionized the way of depicting the landscape and the antiquities, particularly from 1893 onwards, when the systematic excavations of the French Archaeological School started. However, artists such as Vera Willoughby, continued to be inspired by the landscape.

text: Delphic themes inspired several graphic artists. Besides the landscape, Pythia/Sibylla become an illustration subject even on Tarot cards.[59] A famous example constitutes Michelangelo's Delphic Sibyl (1509),[60] the 19th-century German engraving Oracle of Apollo at Delphi, as well as the most recent The Oracle of Delphi, inc on paper, by the Swedish Malin Lind.[61] Modern artists are inspired also by the Delphic Maxims. Examples of such works are displayed in the "Sculpture park of the European Cultural Center of Delphi" and in exhibitions taking place at the Archaeological Museum of Delphi.

text: Delphi in literature[edit]

text: Delphi inspired literature as well. In 1814 W. Haygarth, friend of Lord Byron, refers to Delphi in his work "Greece, a Poem". In 1888 Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle published his lyric drama L’Apollonide, accompanied by music by Franz Servais. More recent French authors used Delphi as a source of inspiration such as Yves Bonnefoy (Delphes du second jour) or Jean Sullivan (nickname of Joseph Lemarchand) in L'Obsession de Delphes (1967), but also Rob MacGregor's Indiana Jones and the Peril at Delphi (1991).

text: The presence of Delphi in Greek literature is very intense. Poets such as Kostis Palamas (The Delphic Hymn, 1894), Kostas Karyotakis (Delphic festival, 1927), Nikephoros Vrettakos (return from Delphi, 1957), Yannis Ritsos (Delphi, 1961–62) and Kiki Dimoula (Gas omphalos and Appropriate terrain 1988), to mention only the most renowned ones. Angelos Sikelianos wrote The Dedication (of the Delphic speech) (1927), the Delphic Hymn (1927) and the tragedy Sibylla (1940), whereas in the context of the Delphic idea and the Delphic festivals he published an essay titled "The Delphic union" (1930). The nobelist George Seferis wrote an essay under the title "Delphi", comprised in the book "Dokimes".

text: The importance of Delphi for the Greeks is significant. The site has been recorded on the collective memory and have been expressed through tradition. Nikolaos Politis, the famous Greek ethnographer, in his Studies on the life and language of the Greek people - part A, offers two examples from Delphi: a) the priest of Apollo (176) When Christ was born a priest of Apollo was sacrificing below the monastery of Panayia, on the road of Livadeia, on a site called Logari. Suddenly he abandoned the sacrifice and says to the people: "in this moment was born the son of God, who will be very powerful, like Apollo, but then Apollo will beat him". He didn't have time to finish his speech and a thunder came down and burnt him, opening the rock nearby into two. [p. 99] b)The Mylords (108) The Mylords are not Christians, because nobody ever saw them cross themselves. They originate from the old pagan inhabitants of Delphi who kept their property in castle called Adelphi, named after the two brother princes who built it. When Christ and his mother came to the site, and all people around converted to Christianity they thought that they should better leave; thus the Mylords left for the West and took all their belongings with them. The Mylords come here now and worship these stones. [p. 59]