Abae

Abae (Ancient Greek: "Ἄβαι", Abai), is an ancient town in the northeastern corner of Phocis, in Greece. It was famous in antiquity for its oracle of Apollo Abaeus,Citation
last = Schmitz
first = Leonhard
author-link =
contribution = Abaeus
editor-last = Smith
editor-first = William
title = Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
volume = 1
pages = 1
publisher =
place = Boston
year = 1867
contribution-url = http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0010.html ] one of those consulted by Croesus, king of Lydia, [Herodotus i.46] [Hesychius of Alexandria. "s.v." polytonic|Ἄβαι; Pausanias, "Description of Greece" x. 35. § 1, &c.] and Mardonius, among others. [cite book | last = Bell | first = Robert E. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Place-Names in Classical Mythology | publisher = ABC-CLIO | date = 1989 | location = | pages = 1 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0-87436507-4]

It was rich in treasures [Herodotus. viii.33] , but was destroyed by the Persians in the invasion of Xerxes in 480 BCE, and a second time by the Boeotians and remained in a ruined state.It was rebuilt by Hadrian. [cite book | last = Smith | first = William | authorlink = William Smith (lexicographer) | coauthors = | title = A New classical dictionary of biography, mythology, and geography | publisher = John Murray | date = 1850 | location = London | pages = 1 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=5_oGAAAAQAAJ | doi = | id = | isbn = ]

The oracle was, however, still consulted, e.g. by the Thebans before Leuctra in 371 BCE. [Pausanias iv. 32.5] The temple seems to have been burnt again during the Third Sacred War (355–346 BCE), and was in a very dilapidated state when seen by Pausanias in the second century CE, [Pausanias, x. 35] though some restoration, as well as the building of a new temple, was undertaken by Emperor Hadrian.

The sanctity of the shrine ensured certain privileges to the people of Abae, ["Bulletin Corresp. Hell." 6 171.] and these were confirmed by the Romans. The polygonal walls of the acropolis may still be seen in a fair state of preservation on a circular hill standing about 500 ft. above the little plain of Exarcho; one gateway remains, and there are also traces of town walls below. The temple site was on a low spur of the hill, below the town. An early terrace wall supports a precinct in which are a stoa and some remains of temples; these were excavated by the British School at Athens in 1894, but little was found.

Notes

References

*Hesychius s. v. "Agcu"
*Herodotus viii. 33
*Pausanias x. 35.1ff, etc.)