2016/03/29 by Robert Parker · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Classical Antiquity Studies #Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies #Ancient Near East History #Cult #Revelation #Divination #Politics #Oracle #Statement (logic) #History #Political science #Law #Plague (disease) #Ancient history #Literature #Art #Computer science
paper · doi:10.1017/s001738351500025x
openalex publication_date 2016/03/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/03
The consultation of fixed oracles was a central and well-documented feature of ancient Greek life; Greece ought therefore to be able to contribute important evidence to anyone interested in the function of divination in different cultures. But, although no oracle is more famous than that of Apollo at Delphi, so many central questions about its operations are unanswerable that it provides a very shaky basis for comparison. A few points are secure: not only individuals but also states put enquiries to the oracle; and public enquiries related to matters of religious practice and cult, but also on occasion to colonizing projects, alliances, or declarations of war. Beyond these generalities, however, almost everything is contestable. Even the statement just made about public enquiries requires some hedging. On matters of cult they certainly never ceased: in a religion without revelation and specialized religious institutions, the direct access to divine will supposedly provided by the oracle was indispensable to authorize change, or to suggest ritual remedies in a time of crisis such as plague. But the extent to which public enquiries on military and political matters continued to be made after the fifth century is very uncertain.