Welcome to the Amphiareion of Oropos!
Located around 37 km NE of Athens, the Amphiareion of Oropos is a sanctuary site dedicated to the Greek hero Amphiaraos. Tucked away into the topography and situated near a sacred spring, this sanctuary was dedicated around the late 5th century BCE. It is a popular oracular site, as pilgrims would travel all across Attika for oracular healing.
Amphiaraos was known to have prophetic and healing abilities. He was one of the main characters in the Greek myth "Seven Against Thebes" by Aeschylus. Amphiaraos could foresee that participating in the attack on Thebes would be harmful. As the myth goes, the earth split open and swallowed him up. After he was swallowed by the Earth, Zeus saved him and he was declared a deity of the underworld (chthonic deity).
The Amphiareion is located near the border of Attika and Boitia, tucked in the hills that make up the natural landscape of the Oropos deme.The sanctuary is 6 km SE of the port of Oropos. Its location made its ownership tricky as it was originally owned by the Boiotians and given over to the Athenians. The sanctuary is located in a valley, allowing the hillside and spring to provide a sheltered and intimate space for worship. As you descend into the valley, the act of entering the sanctuary parallels that of Amphiaraos being swallowed up by the earth.
Though there is no concrete date for the construction of this site, it is believed to have been created and dedicated to Amphiaraos in the 5th century BCE. (Greeka)
Became popular during the plague that hit Athens in the 5th century BCE as a healing site
Stoa was built in 360 BCE or mid-4th century BCE, as many of the structures were built around the 4th century BCE
The sanctuary saw its heyday during the Hellenistic period, when Oropos belonged to the Boeotian League
Games like the Great Amphiarea occurred here and were a popular event (ca. 330-20 BCE)
Ownership of Oropos was constantly switching between the Athenians and the Boeotians from ca. 431 BCE all the way to 335 BCE
Plan of Amphiareion
The Architecture of the Amphiareion
Dates back to around 2nd century BCE
Seats around 300 spectators, was built into the hillside
Seats were made of wood on stone supports, with 5 marble seats of honor at the front around the orchestra
Built in 360 BCE
Contains an outer Doric colonnade and an internal Ionic colonnade
This was likely the place where the pilgrims/travelers would rest, awaiting their chance to see the oracle
Built in early 4th century BCE
Doric hexastyle temple
Cella had two rows of 5 columns and housed the cult statue of Amphiaraos
Sacred spring from which Amphiaraos was perceived to have arisen from located next to the altar
Altar was dedicated to 5 groups, according to Pausanias (Paus. I.34.2-3):
Heracles, Apollo, and Zeus
Heroes and heroes' wives
Hestia, Hermes, Amphiaraos and his children
Athena, Panacea, Aphrodite, Iaso, Hygeia
Nymphs & Pan, the rivers Aecholus & Cephisus
The curved altar suggests that the sacrifices that took place here were that of spectacle, meant to be viewed by others and was part of the attraction of the site
Water clock located opposite of the sacred spring
Extremely well-preserved, used as an ancient time-keeping tool
Because this was an oracular site of healing and prophecy, many pilgrims throughout Attika and from nearby regions would journey here to seek healing. In order to consult with the oracle, one had to first bathe in the baths, sacrifice to all the gods and beings that the altar is dedicated to, sacrifice a ram, and then sleep on the skin of the ram to find "enlightenment in their dream" (Paus. I.34.5). Additionally, they had to abstain from wine for three days and not eat for one day. The skin of the ram is important because it allowed individuals to correctly take part in the "incubation process", in which Amphiaraos would provide their oracular healing/gift in a dream.
In addition to the oracular activity that occurred at the Amphiareon, the sanctuary was also the site of a festival called the Great Amphiarea. The Great Amphiarea took place every five years, consisting of athletic events and equestrian competitions. Participants from Attika and the surrounding regions came to participate in these games. They also honor the individuals who contributed the funds to make the games happen.
Amphiareion of oropos. (2021, March 01). Retrieved April 22, 2021, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphiareion_of_Oropos#Images_of_the_Amphiareion
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https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/classics/intranets/students/modules/greekreligion/database/clunbg
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oropos
Camp, J. M. (2008). Oropos (Amphiareion). In The Archaeology of Athens (pp. 322-324). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
History Hit. (2020, November 24). The Amphiareion at Oropos. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://www.historyhit.com/locations/the
amphiareion-at-oropos/
Amphiareion archaeological site. (2019, May 08). Retrieved April 22, 2021, from http://www.villaoropos.gr/amphiareion-archaeological-site/
Amphiareion of oropos. (2021, March 01). Retrieved April 22, 2021, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphiareion_of_Oropos#Images_of_the_Amphiareion
Virtual tour - marathon - the amphiareion of oropos. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2021, from http://www.yougoculture.com/virtual
tour/marathon/myth/the-amphiareion-of-oropos