Editing Apollo (section)

==Oracular cult==
[[File:Columns of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, Greece.jpeg|thumb|Columns of the [[Temple of Apollo (Delphi)|Temple of Apollo]] at Delphi, Greece]]
[[File:Herakles tripod Louvre F341.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|Oracular tripod]] 
Unusually among the Olympic deities, Apollo had two cult sites that had widespread influence: [[Delos]] and [[Delphi]]. In cult practice, [[Delos|Delian Apollo]] and Pythian Apollo (the Apollo of Delphi) were so distinct that they might both have shrines in the same locality.<ref name="Burkert 1985:143"/> [[Lycia]] was sacred to the god, for this Apollo was also called Lycian.<ref>[https://topostext.org/work/133#5.77.5 Diodorus Siculus, Library 1–7, 5.77.5]</ref><ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0060.tlg001.perseus-grc1:5.77 Diodorus Siculus, Library 1–7, 5.77.5 – GR]</ref> Apollo's [[Cult (religion)|cult]] was already fully established when written sources commenced, about 650 BCE. Apollo became extremely important to the Greek world as an oracular deity in the [[Archaic Greece|archaic period]], and the frequency of [[theophoric names]] such as ''Apollodorus'' or ''Apollonios'' and cities named ''Apollonia'' testify to his popularity. Oracular sanctuaries to Apollo were established in other sites. In the 2nd and 3rd century CE, those at [[Didyma]] and [[Claros]] pronounced the so-called "theological oracles", in which Apollo confirms that all deities are aspects or servants of an [[Monism#Monism, pantheism, and panentheism|all-encompassing, highest deity]]. "In the 3rd century, Apollo fell silent. [[Julian the Apostate]] (359–361) tried to revive the Delphic oracle, but failed."<ref name="DDD" />

===Oracular shrines===
[[File:Delos lions.jpg|thumb|Delos lions]]
Apollo had a famous [[oracle]] in Delphi, and other notable ones in [[Claros]] and [[Didyma]]. His oracular shrine in [[Abae]] in [[Phocis]], where he bore the [[toponym]]ic epithet ''[[Abaeus]]'' ({{lang|grc|Ἀπόλλων Ἀβαῖος}}, ''Apollon Abaios''), was important enough to be consulted by [[Croesus]].<ref>[[Herodotus]], 1.46.</ref> His oracular shrines include:

* [[Abae]] in [[Phocis]].
* [[Bassae]] in the [[Peloponnese]].
* At [[Clarus]], on the west coast of [[Asia Minor]]; as at Delphi a holy spring which gave off a ''pneuma'', from which the priests drank.
* In [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]], the Oracle of Corinth came from the town of [[Tenea]], from prisoners supposedly taken in the Trojan War.
* At [[Khyrse]], in [[Troad]], the temple was built for Apollo Smintheus.
* In [[Delos]], there was an oracle to the Delian Apollo, during summer. The Hieron (Sanctuary) of Apollo adjacent to the Sacred Lake, was the place where the god was said to have been born.
* In [[Delphi]], the [[Pythia]] became filled with the ''[[pneuma]]'' of Apollo, said to come from a spring inside the [[Adyton]].
* In [[Didyma]], an oracle on the coast of [[Anatolia]], south west of [[Lydia]]n ([[Luwian]]) [[Sardis]], in which priests from the lineage of the Branchidae received inspiration by drinking from a healing spring located in the temple. Was believed to have been founded by [[Branchus]], son or lover of Apollo.
* In [[Manbij|Hierapolis Bambyce]], Syria (modern Manbij), according to the treatise ''[[De Dea Syria]]'', the sanctuary of the [[Atargatis|Syrian Goddess]] contained a robed and bearded image of Apollo. Divination was based on spontaneous movements of this image.<ref>[[Lucian]] (attrib.), ''[[De Dea Syria]]'' [http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/luc/tsg/tsg07.htm#35 35–37].</ref>
* At [[Patara (Lycia)|Patara]], in [[Lycia]], there was a seasonal winter oracle of Apollo, said to have been the place where the god went from Delos. As at Delphi the oracle at Patara was a woman.
* In [[Segesta]] in Sicily.

Oracles were also given by sons of Apollo.
* In [[Oropus]], north of [[Athens]], the oracle [[Amphiaraus]], was said to be the son of Apollo; Oropus also had a sacred spring.
* in Labadea, {{convert|20|mi|km}} east of Delphi, [[Trophonius]], another son of Apollo, killed his brother and fled to the cave where he was also afterwards consulted as an oracle.