Editing Dodona (section)

===Classical and Hellenistic Greece===
[[File:Map greek sanctuaries-en.svg|thumb|right|350px|A map of the main sanctuaries in [[Classical Greece]].]]

Though it never eclipsed the [[Oracle of Delphi|Oracle of Apollo at Delphi]], Dodona gained a reputation far beyond Greece. In the ''Argonautica'' of [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], a retelling of an older story of [[Jason]] and the [[Argonauts]], Jason's ship, the "[[Argo]]", had the gift of prophecy, because it contained an oak timber spirited from Dodona.

In c. 290 BCE, [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|King Pyrrhus]] made Dodona the religious capital of his domain and beautified it by implementing a series of construction projects (i.e. grandly rebuilt the Temple of Zeus, developed many other buildings, added a festival featuring athletic games, musical contests, and drama enacted in a theatre).<ref name="Bunson1997"/> A wall was built around the oracle itself and the holy tree, as well as temples to Dione and [[Heracles]].

In 219 BCE, the [[Aetolia]]ns, under the leadership of General Dorimachus, looted and set fire to the sanctuary.<ref name="Bunson1997"/><ref>{{harvnb|Dakaris|1971|p=46}}; {{harvnb|Wilson|2006|p=240}}.</ref> During the late 3rd century BCE, King [[Philip V of Macedon]] (along with the Epirotes) reconstructed all the buildings at Dodona.<ref name="Bunson1997"/><ref>{{harvnb|Dakaris|1971|p=46}}.</ref> In 167 BCE, the Molossian cities and possibly Dodona itself were destroyed by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]]<ref name="Bunson1997"/><ref>{{harvnb|Dakaris|1971|p=62}}.</ref> (led by Aemilius Paulus<ref name="Pentreath1964">{{harvnb|Pentreath|1964|p=165}}.</ref>). A fragment of Dio Cassius reports that Thracian soldiers instigated by King Mithridates sacked the sanctuary ca. 88 BCE. In the reign of the emperor [[Augustus]] the site was prominent enough to feature an honorary statue of [[Livia]]. The 2nd century CE traveller [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] noted a sacred oak tree of Zeus.<ref>Pausanias. ''Description of Greece'', 1.18.</ref> In 241 CE, a priest named Poplius Memmius Leon organized the Naia festival of Dodona.<ref>{{harvnb|Dakaris|1971|p=26}}.</ref> In 362 CE, [[Emperor Julian]] consulted the oracle prior to his military campaigns against the Persians.<ref>{{harvnb|Dakaris|1971|p=26}}; {{harvnb|Fontenrose|1988|p=25}}.</ref>

Pilgrims still consulted the oracle until 391-392 CE when [[Emperor Theodosius]] closed all pagan temples, banned all pagan religious activities, and cut down the ancient oak tree at the sanctuary of Zeus.<ref>{{harvnb|Flüeler|Rohde|2009|p=36}}.</ref> Although the surviving town was insignificant, the long-hallowed pagan site must have retained significance for Christians given that a [[bishop of Dodona]] named Theodorus attended the [[First Council of Ephesus]] in 431 CE.<ref name="Pentreath1964" />

{{wide image|D70-0404-dodona.jpg|800px|Panorama of the theatre of Dodona, the modern village [[Dodoni]] and the snow-capped Mount [[Tomaros]] are visible in the background}}