verdant hills of Delphi were a perfect place to perform rituals and ceremonies in honor of the gods. Olive groves, cypress trees, flowing waters, and distant mountains added to the magnificent aura of that sacred ground. While the origins of Apollonian festivals at Delphi are obscured by time, it is certain that Apollo was the presiding deity at this ancient site. By the eighth century BC, Apollo reigned over the hills of Mount Parnassus; his cult was in full force. Homer mentioned Apollo in his Iliad, and the myths surrounding him are plentiful. Apollo was honored in his many aspects as Delphi through religious rites and festivals, as well as through the Oracle of Delphi, who channeled the god's wisdom in order to advise peasants and politicians alike. Apollo was the presiding god over Delphi three seasons of the year, and only in the winter did Dionysian rites replace those...
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