Delos is a Greek island of the Cyclades group. Delos was an island of great renown among the ancient Greeks, fabled to be the birthplace of Apollo. It was a centre of his worship, and the site of a famous oracle. It is the central and smallest island of the Cyclades, located in the AEgean Sea, a rugged mass of granite about 12 square miles in extent. At first the island, occupied by the Ionians, had kings of its own, who also held the priestly office. In 477 BC it became the common treasury of the Greeks who were leagued against Persia. Subsequently the Athenians removed the inhabitants from it, but they were soon restored. Its festivals were visited by strangers from all parts of Greece, Asia Minor, etc. After the destruction of Corinth in 146 BC the rich Corinthians fled thither, and made Delos the seat of a flourishing commerce. The greatest curiosity of the island was the Temple of Apollo. The Persians, when they made war against Greece, forebore attacking the island out of reverence to the patron deities. The Delians showed great skill and taste in making utensils, statues of their gods, figures of-heroes, animals, etc, in bronze and silver. Research Delos
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Research Delos
